BOOK REVIEW: Save Me by Cecy Robson

Series: O'Brien Family #5

2 Stars

*Disclosure Note: This ARC was received with rating conditions. In the interest of transparency as outlined by FTC guidelines, I am disclosing that I received this ARC under the following conditions: “If you cannot rate 3 or above, please refrain from posting your review until after the tour. “ To maintain the integrity of the review system, this blog does NOT withhold reviews. The rating given will be my honest opinion. None the less, beware that you may not be seeing the full selection of reviews from the ARCs distributed till after May 11th! I should also note that this ARC came with the following strange request: “Do not quote for publication until verifying information with the finished sale-version book.” That’s listed twice. If a book isn’t ready for reviewers’ eyes, then it shouldn’t be sent out. Sure as ARC reviewers we realize that there’s likely to be a grammatical mistake here and there and some additional formatting to come, but the gist of the text should be pretty final. Reviewers often juggle busy schedules, reviewing one book after the next. We don’t have time to read both the ARC and the finished sale-version or compare the two. It’s also not our job. We’re here to review the content we’re given and this is what I received… So Seamus O’Brien, 37, is the last of his sibling to find a significant other, and then he’s pressured into bringing a respectable date to the wedding festivities. Real estate agent Allie Mendes, 35, is also knee-deep in wedding woes—not her own but that of her sister to her ex. This story affirmed why I hate big weddings and overbearing families. So quite possibly that’s also why I found it more annoying than entertaining. In fact, I’m pretty sure the most entertainment I found here was when I entertained fantasies of throttling Mrs. Mendes. Allie mentions biting and yeah, there’s a thought too. But in all seriousness and at the very least, I’d have blocked both my mother and my sister from any form of communication possible and ejected them from my life. Favoring one child over the other is bad enough, but expecting the daughter whose long term boyfriend cheated on her with her sister to not only be her sister’s best friend and bridesmaid but to repeatedly call her up and rub it in your face, well that’s not just bad parenting; it’s emotional abuse. As for the romantic angle, Seamus is cocky, conceited, and… the heroine even uses the word Neanderthal. His first meeting with the Allie is a total turn-off. Let me break out my Jeff Foxworthy voice here and explain…If a woman approaches you saying, “‘You don’t remember me, do you?’” and your response is to lie that she was a great conquest and treat her like a ONS who you forgot to call, you might be a MANWHORE! For the record, Allie’s not a former ONS. She’s been his real estate agent on more than one occasion, goes to church with him, and knows his family; yet, he still can’t place her. And how does he finally remember her? “‘You’re Valentina Mendes’s little sister. She’s smokin’ and damn, what a body! Hey, she still single?’” That right there, I’d be out.  But it turns out Allie has no backbone so they keep talking. And then to my surprise Seamus actually says something smart in regards to her being the bridesmaid in her sister and ex’s wedding. “ ‘Why would you do that to yourself?’” Anyways, the opportunity presents to fake date for the sake of their families and since this premise has been around the block a few times, no need for details there. What follows is Allie and Seamus getting to know each other. It’s fairly low-angst and would be a romantic build-up I might enjoy if the characterization didn’t get in the way. I just couldn’t fall in love with Seamus and Allie together because I didn’t really like them individually. Allie is one of those prototypes that crops up way too frequently in the modern romance world. She lacks confidence, can’t emit sex appeal, and has been shackled with a limited history of men who suck in bed. Thus, she’s insecure and gets walked all over. Seamus is the gruff, loud, former manwhore type that’s become a dime a dozen. I definitely didn’t feel any chemistry between them. Ironically though the more the story went on, the more I at least appreciated Seamus’s attempts to read the sister/ex situation for what it was and to urge Allie to stand up for herself. But Allie was such a doormat, and as the story wore on, the more pathetic I found her. Lastly, I can’t let this story off the hook without a mention of the sexist remarks made about women as well as the poor presentation of many of them. Females are referred to as “sluts” and “skanks.” Yep those are direct quotes. Even the 35 year old heroine is belittled by a client who calls her “little girl.” Seamus’s younger brother (the hero from book two) exalts his future wife’s “good childbearing hips,” affirming he has faith she can pop out 7 kids.  I don’t know where to begin with that one. Should I start with the lofty notion that women deserve to be valued for more than their potential to reproduce or the fact that hip size and fertility are not directly correlated? In regard to his own sister, Seamus narrates that "‘…none of us ever thought Wren would meet a man strong enough to tame her.’” Tame her? She’s a woman, not an animal. Then there’s the collection of random women (the neighbor, the baker, etc.) who all want to throw themselves at Seamus while dissing Allie. After a while I began to wonder if the request to withhold direct quotes was to keep the sexist sentiment, espoused by many of the characters, under wraps. I can only hope that this ARC is going through another round of edits and those edits include removing the slut shaming terms and outdated modes of thinking. Told via Allie and Seamus’s alternating first person POV, this is a friends-to-lovers romance but the lovers part comes very, very, very late in the game and thus the steam level is extremely low. GOODREADS

REVIEW/RELEASE BLITZ: Without Apology by Aubrey Bondurant

Series: The Without Series #1

Genre: Contemporary Adult Romance

~Blurb~

He’s neat, always on time, and a professed workaholic. I’m messy, always running late, and looking for more from life than just my job.

Yet our mutual attraction is undeniable.

The last thing I expected after our first date was to have Simon show up at my office. The charming and funny guy I'd met was now gone, replaced by the cold and calculating man in an impeccable suit. While my professional future is now in his hands, I can’t stop thinking about how his hands would feel on my body.

Whatever had started between us can't possibly happen now, but that’s easier said than done. Because the more I try not to think of his sexy smirk or delicious accent, the harder it is to stay away. And if our forbidden office kiss is any indication, his resolve is slipping too.

I've sworn I'd never fall for a man who puts his job first.

Too bad my heart isn't listening. 

***Without Apology is for mature audiences due to steamy bedroom scenes that are in no way contained to just the bedroom.*** 

GOODREADS

~Book Review~

4.75 Stars

Peyton Waters, 29, heads an accounting department for a Texas based company.  When she meets a sexy British guy who she hits it off with, she has no idea how complicated things are about to get. Simon Granger, 30, is known as the Iceman due to his emotionless approach to his job of acquiring companies for his boss. But upon meeting Peyton, he gets a crash course in feelings.

What I found most refreshing about this story is how Petyon and Simon are both ‘quite single.’  Even though that sounds like a no-brainer for a romance book, it’s surprisingly hard to find. There’s no past romantic relationship baggage, no jealous scheming exes, no OW/OM drama, and it made the romance so much more enjoyable.  This is simply a story about two mature adults negotiating an ethically borderline work romance with a time stamp.  

“It was amazing how much more quickly a twenty-five hour ride went when you spent most of it having sex….I was sure Simon had been inside me in every single state we’d driven through.”

In between what I found to be the cute scenes that make up their initial meeting in the beginning and Peyton’s “arrival” at the end are plenty of sultry encounters to keep the romance heated.

But mostly, I really liked Peyton and Simon. And Emma! It’s always a plus to see strong, intelligent women portrayed in romance.  And then Simon rolled off with this:

“‘…it’s an archaic, misogynist view that women can’t hold positions once dominate by men. In fact, I’d argue their view makes the assumption that no man in the same position should put his family first. That because he’s a man, he wouldn’t want to have an active involvement and be an equal partner in the parenting of the children.’”

Yep, that’s the kind of man who should take the lead in a romance every day!

Now I won’t say there aren't some “antagonists” in this tale, although thankfully it stayed low-angst and didn't fall prey to predictable drama. In fact, I was just as invested in the business subplot as I was the romance, to the point I really wanted to see some heads roll.

Told via Peyton and Simon’s alternating first person POV, this is an opposites-attract office romance.   Emma’s story is the next book in this standalone series. 

$2.99 for a limited time

AMAZON US / UK / CA / AU

Free in Kindle Unlimited

~Excerpt~

       As I unloaded my full carry basket onto the belt, I couldn’t help noticing the man in front me who was wearing a charcoal gray suit. He was attractive, but what instantly perked up my ears was his British accent. That wasn’t something one often heard in this suburban town outside of Dallas, Texas.

            He was talking to the elderly cashier, who I knew as Laverne, about lacking the identification necessary to buy the bottle of champagne she was holding in her hand.

            “You have my word I’m over the legal drinking age, whatever that may be here in Texas.” 

            Laverne adjusted her thick glasses and shook her head. “Unless you have some sort of identification proving it, honey, I can’t sell it to you.”

            He searched the inside pocket of his suit. “Unfortunately, my passport is back in my hotel room. Is there any chance you could give me the bottle now, and I could return tomorrow with my ID?”

            Nice try, I thought, but then realized the words had inadvertently slipped out loud. When his ice-blue eyes focused on me, my body immediately responded. Because the eyes were only part of what made up his gorgeous face, now turned in my direction.

            Damn, David Gandy had nothing on his younger version, for sure. The man’s mouth turned up in a slight smile towards me before he sighed at Laverne, seemingly recognizing that her cataracts and sour expression made any use of his charms a wasted effort.

            Taking pity, I stepped up. “Hey, Laverne, how about I pay for the bottle? I have my ID if you need it.”

            She hesitated and then glared when Brexy, my new mingled word for British and sexy, pulled out his wallet, probably to front me the money.

            “You keep your wallet and your cash where it is, honey. What you two do in private ain’t none of my business, but don’t be doing it in front of me. Rules are rules.”

            Brexy and I exchanged arched brows at Laverne’s suggestive way of putting it, but he stowed his wallet and said, “Understood. I promise to, uh, finish this transaction in private.”

            Now he was smirking. The expression suited his handsome features very well. I had to bite my lip to keep from laughing out loud.

            “Good.”

            As Laverne scanned my items, she started chatting. “Making snickerdoodles with the girls tonight?” She directed the question towards me.

            “Yes. Sure am.” I noticed the man’s gaze flick over to my left hand. Subtle he was not. Then again, neither was I. “My three nieces,” I offered, feeling like an idiot for needing to clarify that point.

            “You don’t need her identification, I take it?” he inquired, making room for me to slide my credit card at the terminal in front of us.

            Laverne tsked “I’ve known Peyton here for nearly the twenty-nine years she’s been on this earth, so I’m quite aware of her age without needing proper identification.” She handed me the receipt after bagging everything and added, “She’s also quite single.”

            And with that, she was moving on to the next customer.

             I shook my head over her use of the word ‘quite’ in front of single. Because ‘single’ wasn’t enough, she had to add the word ‘quite,’ making it sound as if I couldn’t possibly be more single.

            Small towns. Gotta love ‘em.  

Aubrey Bondurant is a working mom who loves to write, read and travel.  She describes her writing style as: "Adult Contemporary Erotic Romantic Comedy," which is just another way of saying she likes her characters funny, her bedroom scenes hot, and her romances with a happy ending. When Aubrey isn't working her day job, or spending time with her family, she's on her laptop typing away on her next story. She only wishes there were more hours of the day! She's a former member of the US Marine Corps and passionate about veteran charities and giving back to the community. She loves a big drooly dog, a fantastic margarita, and football. 

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BOOK REVIEW: Forbidden Sext: A Stepbrother Romance by Stephanie Brother

~Blurb~

Why is my perfect match the only guy I hate on campus? 

When I join the college dating app, I'm expecting to be matched with someone who's my type. Instead, I get the college prankster, Elijah. 

He might be good looking, he might even be chivalrous, but that doesn't mean I'm interested. 

I think it's a mistake, or maybe one of his pranks. 
I keep my distance for a while, but I'm only human. 

Mistake is my middle name, especially when it comes to relationships. 

And I find myself left with two dramas. Elijah is going to be my stepbrother and is now totally forbidden. Oh, and the other thing is I'm carrying his baby.

GOODREADS

~Book Review~

3 Stars

Elijah only intends to trick Sophia when he sets up a fake profile on the university’s dating site, but he ends up falling for the girl he didn’t think even liked him.

Even though Elijah’s original intentions with Sophia aren’t admirable, he turned out to be a decent guy. I liked that he was all in for her once they got to know each other.  Sophia was okay, but she also annoyed me at a few points with the way she handled things. Sometimes they behaved a bit immature or naïve, and even if the blurb hadn’t mentioned the pregnancy it certainly wouldn’t have been a surprise since they don’t use protection or discuss birth control at all.  I also totally side-eyed  Sophia's worries that she’s going to get in trouble with the university for being pregnant. Geez this isn’t 1950!

Told via Elijah and Sophia’s alternating first person POV, this is fairly light-hearted and easy read. There were some cute moments. I think it had more potential than it delivers. Some parts are a little underdeveloped, their banter fell flat, and their relationship is rushed. The story could also benefit from a good editor. The writing isn’t top quality, and the narrative tends to relate a good deal of unimportant details (like the movie theater they are going to, etc) instead of developing more significant scenes. There are some grammatical mistakes and continuity errors with the days of the week.

Nonetheless, it’s a safe romance with no OW/OM drama. 😊

AMAZON

BLOG TOUR: Going Down by Katy Connor

~Synopsis~

She gets my blood pumping in a way I’ve never felt on stage…

I didn’t think taking care of my uncle’s building while he’s on vacation would be half as exciting as drumming, but the nerdy doctor in 7B gets my blood pumping in a way I’ve never felt on stage.

I’ve pushed her buttons at every turn, but she’s all work and no play. And sadly immune to my charm. But now the latest Nor’easter has us stranded in our elevator. Alone. And it’s the perfect time to push every single button I can.

My hands are itching to touch her, and her voice alone makes me rock hard. So I tease her. And she fires back. And then her tight little body brushes up against mine in challenge, and it’s all the green light I need.

Going down in an elevator has never been this sexy…

This 30k sexy stand-alone novella has a guaranteed safe romance and happily ever after.

GOODREADS

~Book Review~

3.25 Stars

Holly Vincent, 27, is an ER doctor just off an all night shift and without heat in her apartment.  Danny Colton, 29, is a drummer filling in for the building superintendent. On the way to the basement, an elevator malfunction during a blizzard traps them together, and Danny is totally down with playing doctor to pass the time.

“‘Horizontal is always better…’”

Danny projects a cool, laid back attitude that definitely makes him an attraction.  He says just enough to be alluring and sexy, and this summa cum laude graduate surely aced dirty talk. That’s another thing I liked about Danny, even though he didn’t flaunt it, he was a smart guy.

Holly, unfortunately, didn’t work for me. She was uptight, prissy, persnickety, and a bit stuck-up. While it was refreshing that she wasn’t the trite virginal heroine character, she still acted like a naïve, inexperienced teen. Her monologues were annoying, including things like, “I’m pretty goddamn smart.”  Most educated people (especially ones with a MD degree) don’t say things like that.

But the tale is hot, dirty, and adventurous. I may never look at a tool box the same way again.

Okay, at that point I might have started side-eying things.  But Danny was a total keeper.  In fact, I rather thought he deserved better than Holly.

Typical of many novellas, it could have benefited from a little more development and the ending is abrupt. Told via Holly and Danny’s first person POV, this story is full of lust, boasts a sweet, fun-loving guy, and is pleasingly free of OW/OM drama. 

Now I’ve got to go get Aerosmith unstuck from my head…

Amazon US I Amazon UK I Amazon CA I Amazon Universal

Katy Connor is the thirty-something author of the 50 Shades of Grey’s Anatomy series and has a serious addiction to her iPhone. When she’s not checking social media, she can usually be found in a local coffee shop, drinking hipster coffee and dancing in her seat to the horrible music. Katy loves to hear from fans, so reach out and say, hey, girl, hey, on any of her social media!

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BOOK REVIEW: Play by Piper Lawson

~Synopsis~

I'm Payton Blake. Just another twenty-something girl, living the dream. 

That’s what I tell myself every morning. That I’m successful, self-aware, and well-balanced. 

It's just a tiny fib. I would be all of those things, if I had friends who didn’t work with me at the bank. And if I made it to pilates more than once a quarter. And if watermelon slushies weren't the main source of nutrients in my diet. It wouldn’t hurt if I’d had sex in the last year, either. (My best friend insists Jorge the Nightstand Boyfriend doesn’t count.)

But when you know where you're going, you don’t need to enjoy the ride. Right?

Even if some teeny part of me did want to fool around, Max Donovan would be the last guy I’d call. Sure, he made the indie video game that broke the internet. And yeah, his eyebrow piercing’s sexy, in a ‘what-are-you-in-a-band?’ kind of way. And fighting with him gets me going faster than Jorge on bezerker mode…He’s still colder than a cactus and twice as prickly. And I’m not talking about his face, because the guy’s barely old enough to shave. 

It’d really be best if we just ignored each other. Which is a problem, because Max Donovan is my new biggest client.

So what happens when the girl who lives to work meets the guy who was born to play?

Game on.

GOODREADS

~Book Review~

4.25 Stars

Payton Blake works for a financial lending company.  Max Donovan, 28, is her new client in need of money to launch his next video game.

“‘I am an extremely satisfied client…If you want to go in that bathroom, I’ll show you just how satisfied.’”

This is a sweet and sexy, low angst romance. And labeled as a hot gamer romance…well I just had to bring my real life hubs to the bookshelf (or to be accurate I 1-clicked a copy on his kindle) for a buddy read since he’s a total gamer.  

So hub’s end of this review first….He says, “The writing was good, the characters were good, and I kinda wanted to play Max’s game.” 🎮

I suspect Max and my hubs would have hit it off well. See when Max was “romancing” Payton by loaning her game systems and taking her to comic-cons, I realized that his angle was a fresh approach from most of the romance novels I’ve read but also a trip down memory lane in my real romantic life. (Yep, my own sweetie once loaned me his Super Nintendo and took me on Comic-Con vacations.)

Unlike my own love life, Max and Payton start out a bit at odds. It’s a little adversaries to friends to lovers. The premise provided some engaging push/pull, and his Coyote nickname for her was a cute touch.

“Most first kisses are either tentative or sloppy. This was hot and raw…”

I liked that Payton knew when to stand her ground. She was also loyal and had a sharp business sense. 

“I’m thinking that now that I’ve caught you, Roadrunner, I’m not sure what to do with you.”

While at first Max comes off a little broody, he had a good reason for trying to protect himself and some of his personal life reveals tugged at my heartstrings a bit. At the same time, he could roll off with swoonworthy and suggestive lines.

“‘So maybe we can lose a little more sleep together, yeah?’”

I can’t give enough credit for the fact that Max was just a regular guy despite his career success and not a manwhore in the least. It was nice to read about a hero who could keep it in his pants and only had eyes for the heroine. Told via Payton’s first person POV (the epilogue is told by Max), the pair made a good fit.

While hubs and I both felt the ending lacked a little zing, it was still an enjoyable read. The supporting characters are also very likable. I definitely want to check out Charlie and Riley’s stories. 

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COVER REVEAL: Tailor Made by Tasha Lewis

Genre: Sweet Contemporary Romance

Release Date: May 14, 2018

~Synopsis~

Rayleigh

Dating, who has time for that? Between working and my art, I have room for nothing else. That is until my best friend sets me up on Tailor Made: a website where I can design the perfect guy and my dream date. Crazy? I thought so too. Until he shows up and proves me wrong. It’s supposed to be just one night of fun, but in my life, things rarely go according to plan.

Mason

Working at Tailor Made is the perfect arrangement: all the perks of dating without the commitment. Between school, two jobs and raising my sister, I don’t have time for relationships, nor the demands that come with them. Then a client books me for a night out and I know, one night will never be enough. What’s supposed to be a simple date, just a job, flips my world upside down.

Sometimes the perfect fit comes along when you least expect it.

GOODREADS

Tasha Lewis is a romance author who grew up with her head in the clouds. Her passion for life has always kept her dreaming and moving forward. She believes in fate and is a true romantic at heart. Tasha is certain that anything can be solved with a good cup of coffee and a dog or two at your side.

When she isn’t reading, which isn’t often, she is usually working on a craft or three – she can never just stick with one. Join her on her journey of publication, crocheting and any other craft she is working on.

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BOOK REVIEW: HIS SEED/Satan’s Sons MC by Nicole Fox

3.75 Stars

This was a bonus book in my edition of Knocked Up By the Bad Boy.  In comparison, I liked the hero and heroine better in this one, but I was disappointed in the “epilogue.”

So Ember Amo is a fire dancer. Gotta say, that’s a new one for me. Ember turned out to be pretty ballsy and able to hold her own. She didn’t let men intimidate her, she had confidence, and she was independent.

Wheeler was a solid guy with integrity and a sense of duty. It was a nice surprise that he wasn’t some bossy, cocky biker.

I don’t think the blurb or the title does this story justice.  There was a nice undercurrent of friendship that evolved between Ember and Wheeler. They were playful and teasing of each other in addition to their hot and dirty sexual interludes.  It was nice to see Ember portrayed as a woman who knew what she was doing in bed. She wasn’t virginal and she definitely wasn’t shy. Wheeler also wasn’t trying to breed her as it suggests; the pregnancy is accidental (though avoidable).

“‘You sound pretty when I’m making you wet.’”

My only disappointment came in the epilogue (though not labeled as such).  

I didn’t care for the necessary separation even if Ember basically suggested it. “I knew that Ember understood.” At this point I thought the woman must have been a saint to not mind him missing the birth and the first month of his kid’s life. He’d already said earlier that she was more important than the MC so this seemed silly and out of character.

Told via Wheeler and Ember’s first person POV, there are places that could have benefited from more development, but it’s a decent low angst romance pleasingly free of OW/OM drama.

GOODREADS     AMAZON   

~Also by the Author~

Book Review

COVER REVEAL: Blood & Secrets: 1 by Rose Harper

Series: The Calvetti Crime Family #1

Genre: Romantic Suspense

Release Date: May 1, 2018

~Blurb~

I'm dangerous.
Calculated. Bloodthirsty.

The perfect motherfucking trifecta of crazy.

The name's Mateo Calvetti, and Brooklyn belongs to me.

My reach knows no bounds, and I always get what I want.

Including the little gem currently twisting my insides.

She's been promised to me since birth.

Nothing anyone says will change that.

She will be mine, whether she wants it or not.

I'm going to own her. Consume her. Fuck, I may even keep her.

Yet, something comes to light I never expected in my wildest dreams.

Blood, secrets, and lies all fall around my feet.

Carina Ricci isn’t what she claims to be.

It appears she’s just as fucked up as me.

Come on, baby, let’s make them scream.

Let’s show them what happens when you anger a King and his Queen.  

GOODREADS

Cover Design: Mae's Wicked Graphix

~Pre-order~

99c for a limited time

AMAZON US / UK / CA / AU

Rose Harper is a mother of two, avid coffee drinker, and thrives on bringing tantalizing, downright shiver inducing books for her readers to devour. She’s a lover of dark, sizzling passion, and mystery filled stories with twists and turns you never see coming, yet leave you wanting more.

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RELEASE BLITZ: Maxen by Stephanie Witter

Series: Kinky Shine #2

Genre: Steamy Contemporary Rock Star Romance

~Blurb~

They were married but never kissed.

That night years ago never had consequences…until now.

“I wasn’t into the love bullshit and I didn’t really believe in forever between two people.’’

If I had my way, I would have never seen Maxen Walton again, the womanizing drummer of Kinky Shine.

When I met him in college he was already going through girls as if they were disposable. I had always hated him. Yet, for some drunken reason I ended up marrying him in Las Vegas. That night, right before I puked in the fake flowers and left the tacky chapel was the last time I had laid eyes on him.

Until my boyfriend asked me to marry him.

Now, I was in LA trying to get a divorce from my husband without the press hearing about it.

What I didn’t expect was that my famous husband affected me and that getting to know him would change a lot more than I ever planned.

“All I saw now was Lark, always and forever out of my reach, always driving me crazy.’’

I had only ever met one woman who equally drove me crazy and made me want her until I forgot my name.

Lark Hardin.

And I married her one crazy night in Las Vegas.

Freshly out of rehab and trying like hell to get back in the game while convincing my best friend I wouldn’t relapse, seeing my wife again was the last thing I needed for that.

Life liked f*cking with me, though.

Here she was, so sexy I would damn myself to be inside her just once, but she wasn’t here for me. She was here to get a divorce so her perfect boyfriend had free range to marry her.

She still hated my guts on the sole principle that I was a womanizing f*cker, but maybe she would open her eyes and see beyond that part of me.

I just hoped it wouldn’t be just for the sex because this woman had always been my weakness.

She had the power to destroy me.

“I’d spent the better part of my life hiding behind my bright smile and loud laugh, pushing everything away by using sex, but that was over.’’

**For readers over 18. Can be read as a standalone but if you want the full Kinky Shine experience don't miss the first book.**

GOODREADS

~Book Review~

DNF

I debated about signing up for this one. I knew Maxen had been a manwhore and had a drug habit, and I knew the heroine was seeing someone else. The Sweet Home Alabama premise was either going to work or not, and I figured a lot of that depended on the story focusing on the H and the h and not other people. But I had hopes that the author could pull it off. The only reason I considered this title was because Dex, the first book in the series, was so well written and the rockstar hero was a celibate wet dream, a refreshing spin for sure.  So color me utterly disappointed that the opening scene of Maxen is one of the most trite, overused, and unromantic tropes in romance.

When oh when will this ‘h hears/sees the H having sex with another woman’ theme go away??? It’s like a bad venereal disease that not only keeps coming back, it spreads. It’s unoriginal, unattractive, and it’s completely  counterproductive to creating chemistry between the H & h.  I can’t unread it, and I can’t connect with the characters as a couple afterwards.  

My supermarket was out of brain bleach so this one gets tossed in the DNF pile.

99c for a limited time

AMAZON US / UK / CA / AU

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~Also Available~

“‘A rock star who doesn’t fuck is an anomaly.’”

BOOK REVIEW

99c for a limited time

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Stephanie Witter, in her twenties, lives in France where she comes up with book ideas on her laptop, notebook or phone. When she's not writing the day away, she likes visiting museums or shopping to add another nail polish to her already huge collection. She's also unable to resist the appeal of new books, even when she knows she can't possibly have the time to read yet another one. She's happy to have a to-read pile so high she can never put a dent into it even if she tries her best.

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BOOK REVIEW: Filthy English by Ilsa Madden-Mills

2.75/ 3 Stars

Remi Montague is on vacation in London with her best friend. She’s supposed to be there on her honeymoon but her fiancé called off the wedding just before the big event. Instead out at a bar one night she runs into her old flame, Dax Blay. One kiss and both know it’s not really over.

I liked the beginning of this book and the end. I felt their chemistry right away so it was easy to get into the story and their romance. I really wanted to see them get back together. Had the plot played out more as a journey of reconnection, this might have been fabulous. But instead the more lighthearted love-hate banter gives way to a rather angsty feel. There’s just so much back and forth, mind changing, and miscommunication not just from one chapter to the next but within a given chapter. I also don’t like stories where I have to keep wondering if the hero is going to slip back into his manwhore ways or if the heroine is going to turn to someone else to get over the heartbreak and this story just had too much of an OM presence.  

I liked both Dax and Remi and I think they had a lot of potential. While I wanted to shake them to make them come to their senses, I did understand both of their fears of hurt and loss.

Told via Dax and Remi’s alternating first person POV, this is a second chance enemies-to-lovers new adult romance. 

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