Hold Me Close by Eliza Gayle - Review

Purgatory Club Book 6

Sometimes you need to cut and run and sometimes the ties run too deep to abandon.

Bonnie’s job at Purgatory keeps her on edge in more ways than one. Every day the pain of her grief over losing her Dom threatens to consume her. Her only escape comes at the hands of the resident tattooed bad boy who likes to keep things light and loose with a variety of women. He may not be the Dom of her dreams, but he chases away the darkness if only for one night…

Dex is used to unattached submissives coming to him for a chance to feel the kiss of his flogger or the sting of his whip until they find their own Doms. With his busy life of ink and kink he likes keeping his women at arm’s length. Except one night a month when Bonnie shreds him every time she asks him to hold her close.

When a secret invitation to an island resort arrives, is it the answer to their problems? Or their worst nightmare?

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Wow, I’ve been following both the Purgatory series by Eliza Gayle, and this really cool Invitation to Eden series, and this book fit both of those great series. It was sexy, emotional and very entertaining.

Bonnie, is a great heroine, she’s both strong and willing to submit to the very alpha Dex. These are two characters that aren’t sure they are what the other wants, but are definitely what they both need.

Dex is a fantastic Dom, he’s very much in charge, sexy, and I would gladly take him home, through in a visit to Eden and I was so very much in love with this man. Even if at one point I wanted to yell at him, but I also wanted to yell Bonnie, because they were both so stubborn.

Very sexy and highly recommended, pick this up even if you haven’t read either series, this story won’t disappoint!

I received a copy in exchange for my honest review. I was not compensated for my review. 

Inspire Me by Jenna Dales - Review

On a stormy night in Portland, Oregon, cynical ad exec Lily Bishop crashes into a stunning classic car driven by a dark, handsome stranger with strong hands. His powerful touch makes her remember old dreams she thought she abandoned twenty years ago. Back then, she traded her MFA in photography for a lucrative advertising position that twists people’s deepest desires into just another data point.

Though he’s struggling to take his hot rods to the big time, mechanic Raine Reyes won’t accept help from anyone -- certainly not an uptown woman like Lily whose miles-wide reckless streak brings out the repressed bad boy in him. He knows he should run from her offer to be the new face of her next expensive advertising campaign, but he’s too tempted… by her. He sees right through her to the forgotten needs, the neglected fantasies, and the woman she always wanted to be.

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One of the hottest books I’ve read in a long time, I really fell in love with Lily and Raine, they are one of the sexiest couples I’ve ever read. I really enjoyed the way they kind of fell into each other’s path almost literally.

I really loved that it wasn’t an easy courtship, they had the physical relationship from the moment they met, but they needed to build the foundation for a real relationship. There are some ups and downs, and some misunderstandings and some serious fabulous moments. These two are meant for each other, and yes, there is an age difference but it goes to show that age is just a number, and when you click you click.

I seriously recommend this story, and will be watching and following this author. She’s won me over with her style and ability to create a story that immersed me fully in the world.

I received a complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review. I was not compensated for my review. 

Copper King by Vivian Arend - Review

Three things make billionaire Jim Halcyon’s to-do list: women, work…and more women. It’s a perfect agenda for a rich shifter who has no problem letting his inner grizzly out to play. From the bright lights of Vegas, to the sophisticated action of New York—he’s got the money and the power to do anything he wants.

Anything, except resist the lure of Lady Luck, an ancient copper coin he gambles yearly to possess. Jim is determined to regain control of the pretty penny, and damn if he’ll let any bit of eye candy distract him from his goal. Not even the mesmerizing woman in the middle of the casino floor with the shimmering hair and enormous green eyes.

With a life-changing move ahead of her, Lillie’s finagled a temporary layover en route to her future. She’s got five days to soak in new experiences, and while Vegas is too big and shiny and loud for her shy bear self, she’s eager to do this up right. It’s the last chance she’s got to let her hair down.

Until his challenge begins, Jim is more than willing to oblige Lillie’s wish for a final fling. Only Lady Luck has some twists of fate planned for them both…

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A fabulous novella in the world of one of my favorite series. I’ve already met Lillie and Jim in a later book in the Takhini Shifters series but I really enjoyed exploring the story of how they met and fell in love.

Vegas was the perfect backdrop for this story and this couple, it’s a place where anything goes and fling is just another way to soak up the wildness of Vegas. Jim and Lillie are perfect for each other, even if they both tell themselves they only want a fling. When these two come together their passion is explosive, and melts the pages.

I will say that Ms. Arend gives this little novella the perfect ending, that I didn’t see coming but suits these two characters beautifully. I highly recommend this story and really hope that Jim’s best friend gets his own story soon.

I received a complimentary copy in exchange for my honest review. I was not compensated for my review. 

Rebel by Skye Jordan - Review

Sassy, smart, and sexy, former supermodel-turned-tech guru Rubi Russo has it all—looks, money, confidence and freedom. Her life is a whirlwind of fast cars and fleeting affairs—and she likes it that way. With a past like Rubi’s, forever isn’t part of her vocabulary. So when studly Renegade stuntman Wes Lawson wants to take their friendship to the next level, she’s all out.

Raised a simple country-boy, Wes knows the brazen Rubi isn’t his type. But after spending time with her, he discovers she’s everything he’s ever wanted in a woman. To win her wild rebel heart, he’ll have to prove he sees behind her smokescreen to all the goodness she tries to hide. Then it’s just a matter of crushing her fears, shattering her barriers, and convincing her that loving him is everything she’s been missing in her life, too.

Piece of cake.

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I really should have read this book sooner, I fell in love with Rubi and Wes together. They’re both so afraid to screw up a relationship that they aren’t sure that they’re right for each other, after all they are best friends, and relationships and sex ruin friendships.

Wes Lawson has a lot of patience even if at times it’s obvious he has no idea how to approach Rubi, but he’s in love and determined to win her over. Rubi has some serious trust issues, and she has every right to her issues. When these two come together, it’s some of the hottest scenes ever. I love this book, Ms. Jordan writes flawed but amazing characters that are some of my favorites.

I look forward to more Renegades stories, and I will definitely be starting them right away so I can bask in her amazing writing style.

I purchased my own copy. I was not compensated for my review. 

The Billion Dollar Bachelor by Jackie Ashenden - Review

Jax Morrow is a dangerously handsome, spectacularly wealthy entrepreneur whose world is turned upside down when Pandora Garret walks into a dark, smoky bar one night—a stunning combination of sex and innocence. He knows she’s trouble at first sight, but Jax can’t let her leave…unless she’s leaving with him.　Pandora has had enough. Kept under lock and key by her powerful, controlling father, she aches for freedom. When she briefly escapes and meets Jax she knows he is just what she has been looking for: forbidden, unforgettable passion. After one night in Jax’s arms, Pandora knows she can never go back to living under one man’s domination. Determined to control her own life she tries to resist Jax, but a dangerous desire rises between them—one that threatens to destroy them. But both Pandora and Jax discover that they just can’t be pulled away…

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Not what I was expecting but pleasantly surprised with what I got. Yeah, Jax Morrow is a billionaire, but that isn’t something that is rubbed in and used to hold power over the heroine. It’s just who he is, and that was refreshing.

I really liked Pandora, she had a sheltered and at times lacking life. Others would look at her life and tell her to stop whining, but she was lacking the very basic human contact that we all crave.

She finds that human contact with Jax even though she doesn’t know if she can trust it because of the lessons taught by her childhood with a very distant father. I really liked that flaw edge that this gave Pandora, and Jax is far from perfect too. It’s enjoyable to read very human characters.

I really recommend this story and look forward to reading the other Morrow brother’s stories.

I received a copy from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review. I was not compensated for my review.

Miami, Mistletoe & Murder by Katie Reus - Review

Fierce and sexy, former Marine Travis Sanchez has always held himself back from the rest of the world, using his tattoos and piercings as armor. But when the woman he’s wanted for months is threatened, he knows it's time to strip away the bad boy image and show her just how much he wants to be with her. As one of Red Stone Security’s best contractors, Travis is trained for almost any situation. But nothing prepares him for the most dangerous threat of all: the one to his heart.

Kind-hearted Noel Baskov’s only wish for the holidays is that her Miami coffee shop has a successful Christmas season. But her focus on work is interrupted when the family of the young girl she mentors is threatened, and the man she’s been lusting after for months steps in to handle it. Unfortunately the danger is far from over. Can this sexy and mysterious warrior protect Noel, or will he be the one to shatter her heart?

Warning: features a heroine determined to fight for those she cares about, a protective hero with a very interesting piercing, and some holiday magic.

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This was the perfect quick read with a very sexy hero and a very awesome heroine. I really loved Travis, and I really enjoyed that the author gave him such an interesting piercing.

Noel is a kind, sweet heroine and perfect for a man like Travis that has had a hard life and needs a place to rest. Noel is that place for him. I enjoyed this quick Christmas novella, and it definitely reflects Ms. Reus’s superb writing skills. She is able to craft a believable, suspenseful and very sexy story in a short amount of time. I really enjoyed it and I highly recommend it.

I received a copy from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review. I was not compensated for my review. 

Big Furry Deal by Celia Kyle - Review

Panther shifter Millie Walker is finally free, finally knows her real name, and finally… has a mate? Well, crap.

For Millie, having a mate is a horrible, no good, he’ll end up very dead, bad idea. She’s got what some refer to as a “control problem.” In other words: she has no control and that’s her problem. So, she stays away from others, keeps to herself, and generally tries not to kill people. Except the pride Prima—Maya—has this “awesomesauce” idea and suddenly Millie’s at a pride picnic surrounded by people… and then she meets her mate. Her tall, delicious, please-may-I-lick-you-from-head-to-toe mate. Now she prays her powers don’t suddenly decide Wyatt is better off six feet under.

Lion shifter Wyatt Dane knows he’s not the kind of man who takes a mate. His own mother proved he wasn’t worth loving. But then he meets Millie. Millie with her fiery hair, generous curves, and dangerous powers. He tries to resist her, forces himself to reject her, but then she returns and he realizes he can’t let her go. Her powers will just have to figure out how to deal with his presence. He’s keeping her. Period.

But someone from her past didn’t get the “she’s mated” memo and he’s determined to have her, no matter the cost.

Warning: Big Furry Deal contains kick ass violence, some potentially trigger content (what do we expect from the bad guy), and copious hilarity. Be prepared for laughing, crying, and cringing. As always, curvy women rock, boys drool-girls rule, and your mileage may vary.

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From the moment we meet Millie in this book, I was rooting for her. Give her a mate like Wyatt who is flawed in his own way, then you have a fabulous set up for an equally fabulous story.

Millie and Wyatt both have their issues, they aren’t perfect and I love them for that. It’s a great example of the characters that Ms. Kyle is known for. They are sassy, snarky and full of life and I always want to best friends with the women and want to jump the men. She didn’t disappoint with this story. She also threw in an outer conflict that helped move the story along.

I highly recommend this story to fans of shifter romance with curvy heroines and very Alpha males.

I bought my very own copy. This is my honest review and I was not compensated for it. 

Firestorm by Rory Ni Coileain - Review

Rian Sheridan is a foundling, a Northern Irish Catholic corner boy whose world was destroyed in fire, and reborn the same way, beside an Orangemen’s bonfire last July the Twelfth. A consuming, dimly-remembered pain in his past calls to him, taunting him, daring him to find it and lose himself to it in the S&M underground of Belfast.

Cuinn an Dearmad is the last surviving Fae Loremaster, and he’s just seen the beginning of the death of the Realm, the haven of the Fae race. The only hope of stopping it starts with him finding the Prince Royal of Fire he stole from the cradle, and lost in the human world, many years ago. He has a few guesses about where that hope ends, and he doesn’t like any of them.

Rian and Cuinn are an impossible pairing, two SoulShared Fae. Any two Fae will strike sparks, but these two Fae are a conflagration. Unable to stand one another, yet drawn into an escalating series of sexual collisions, their passion will either save a world or destroy it.

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Firestorm is the fourth book in the SoulShares series and it’s probably my new favorite. Rian Sheridan and Cuinn an Dearmad are perfect for each other even if they both fight the attraction.

This is not a book that should be read alone, there is a lot of world build up and some plot threads come to a close. The author does a wonderful job of building a unique world full of interesting characters. I found myself hooked in from the moment I started reading and I couldn’t put it down. The Fae are complicated but I was able to follow and understand all the nuances. I look forward to more stories.

I highly recommend this series and this story. This is a wonderful world and I want everyone to enjoy it.

I received a copy from the author in exchange for an honest review. I was not compensated for my review. 

After the Rain by Daisy Harris - Review/Giveaway

After the Rain

by Daisy Harris

They’re going to need a bigger tent...

Fire and Rain, Book 2

Henri’s list of bad exes is as long as his arm, but nothing prepared him for his latest, heart-stomping breakup. He thought he couldn’t feel more abandoned, until his ride for a group camping trip bails, leaving him stuck driving for hours with a guy who is absolutely not his type.

After breaking up with his girlfriend of five years, firefighter Logan is working up the nerve to explore his interest in men. He knows he’s gay. He just hasn’t had the guts to do anything about it...until now.

Henri’s big-city attitude and tight jeans push every last one of Logan’s buttons, and when he and Henri have to share a tent, Logan is thrilled. He should have realized Pacific Northwest weather would get wet—forcing them to strip naked.

Though the steam between them is thicker than coastal fog, Henri’s not sure he can let himself fall for another man. Not even the guy who finally treats him right.

Warning: Contains bad ex-boyfriends, even worse weather, and more than your average amount of sex in a tent. May not be suitable for those with germ phobias, outdoor aversions or fear of damp shoes.

Amazon

After the Rain was a quick and enjoyable romance that highlights that opposites really can attract. Logan and Henri are very different people thrown together on a camping trip with some heavy issues hanging between them. As always Ms. Harris does lend an excellent eye for details and writes well rounded and very believable characters. I really liked how down to earth and normal Logan was and how very different Henri could be. Henri was very likeable but definitely prickly at times and I really enjoyed that about him. Together they have great chemistry and I thoroughly enjoyed the story.

I definitely recommend this to fans of MM romance where one of the partners is still feeling out what it means to love men.

I received a copy in exchange for my honest review. I was not compensated for my review.

Birkenstock-wearing glamour girl and mother of two by immaculate conception, Daisy Harris still isn't sure if she writes erotica. Her romances start out innocently enough. However, her characters behave like complete sluts. Much to Miss Harris's dismay the sex tends to get completely out of hand.

She writes about fantastical creatures and about young men getting their freak on, and she's never missed an episode of The Walking Dead.

Want to learn more about new releases, general news and my latest inappropriate boy band crush? Sign up for my newsletter here: http://eepurl.com/b96xX

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Bound by Lorelei James - Review/Giveaway

Former small-town girl Amery Hardwick is living her dream as a graphic designer in Denver, Colorado. She’s focused on building her business, which leaves little time for dating—not that she needs a romantic entanglement to fulfill her. When her friend signs up for a self-defense class as part of her recovery after an attack, Amery joins her for support. That’s where she meets him.

Ronin Black, owner of the dojo, is so drawn to Amery that he takes over her training—in public and in private. The enigmatic Ronin pushes Amery’s boundaries from the start, and with each new tryst, Amery becomes addicted to the pleasure and to him. But when Amery senses Ronin is hiding something, she questions her total trust in him, despite the undeniable thrill of his possession.

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Amery Hardwich is one my favorite new heroines, she was full of spunk, attitude and just a touch of innocence that allowed her to be able to embrace all that Ronin Black has to teach her. There was some serious moments of unbelievably sexiness between these two characters.

The little bits of back story we get about both Amery and Ronin build them up and really portray excellent characters. I have no complaints about the storyline, it was well executed and the characters are well fleshed out with just enough mystery surrounding Ronin to keep me hooked and wanting more.

I was a bit disappointed with the ending, I wasn’t expecting the story to end in such a way since I believed this was a beginning of a new series and not the beginning of a two part story. Up until the surprise sudden ending, I was so hooked into this book that I read until three AM and couldn’t put it down. I do look forward to reading the next book and continuing Ronin and Amery’s story.

I do recommend this story, but be prepared for the story to continue in the next book but up until then I do believe that Ronin and Amery will keep you entertained and invested in their story.

I received a copy in exchange for my honest review. I was not compensated for my review.

Lorelei James is the USA Today and New York Times bestselling author of the Blacktop Cowboys and Rough Riders series as well as the steamy new Mastered series.  She lives in the Black Hills of western South Dakota with her family.  Visit her online at www.loreleijames.com, www.facebook.com/lorelei-james, and www.twitter.com/loreleijames.

Lorelei’s publisher is offering up a print copy of Bound to one lucky commenter. Leave a comment with a valid email address. Winner chosen February 9^th.

Avenger's Heat by Katie Reus - Review

To truly have her, he must free her from her dark secret…

Enforcer Erin Flynn has dedicated her life to protecting her kind. But keeping her heart safe from Noah Campbell, the smoking-hot shifter who saved her life last year, is more difficult. The deadly beauty would love to sink into his arms and become his mate, but she knows she can’t—he must never know about her dark past.

When Erin is sent to investigate the disappearances of pregnant shifters in New Orleans, Erin and Noah find themselves involved in a mystery more sinister than anyone expected. And as Erin delves further into the crimes, chilling information about her own past is revealed. The people who wanted her dead in the first place are trying to finish the job, and Noah wants nothing more than to shield her from harm. But can Erin truly trust Noah and let him see the wounded beast she’s hidden for so long?

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Ms. Reus has built a rich world full of interesting covers. From the very beginning Erin intrigued me and I waited and waited for her story so I was excited to see that I was finally getting it with Avenger’s Heat. Noah is a seriously awesome alpha wolf shifter, he is everything a woman could want, a partner who both protects and supports.

Erin is a pretty amazing heroine, she’s strong, and a warrior but still has a vulnerable side. Their banter and tension when together was my favorite part. I really enjoyed reconnecting with other characters and as always Ms. Reus does a great job writing interesting secondary characters. Erin has some insecurities because of the abuse in her past and doesn’t feel like she’s a proper mate for Noah, and I think that’s a very real emotion and I enjoyed seeing it.

Ms. Reus proves that whether it be hot contemporary or steamy paranormal she can write diverse and rich worlds with full three-dimensional characters that are easy to relate to. I highly recommend this book and this series!

I received an ARC from the author in exchange for my honest review. I was not compensated for my review.

Hope Flames by Jaci Burton - Review

Thirty-two and finally setting up her veterinary practice in the town she once called home, Emma Burnett is on her own and loving it. Independent and driven, she's not letting any man get in the way of her dreams. Not again.

That's fine with Luke McCormack. Divorced and hardly lacking in female company when he needs it, he's devoted to the only faithful companion in his life--his police dog. Still, there's something about Emma he can't shake.

When a series of local break-ins leaves Emma vulnerable, she seeks help from the first man to spark her desire in years. And now they're giving each other something they thought they'd lost forever...hope

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Hope Flames is a heartwarming story that had me entranced the whole time. I really liked Emma and her love of animals, she was someone I could really relate to. She has some trust issues that are very justified.

Luke McCormack is a hot cop who’s even hotter because of his love of his police dog. Something about a man who loves his dog melts my heart. He doesn’t think he’s ready for a relationship but then he meets Emma and she is everything he didn’t know he needed.

Ms. Burton does a great job building up these characters and giving them rich back stories. The scenes between the characters are great, and there is a fair amount tension and suspense in this story that kept me hooked.

I highly recommend this story and I look forward to reading the rest of the series!

I received a copy from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. I was not compensated for my review.