BOOK REVIEW: Stepbrother with Benefits by Hazel Kelly

4 Stars

Feeling like the third wheel at his own apartment where his sister and best friend have gotten together (see book #1 My Best Friend’s Sister), James Mason has bought a house with issues almost as big as his family issues. And James’s family situation is only getting dicier when he temporarily moves into his dad’s house, still occupied by his step-sister.

Brie, 25, is a graduate student working on her MFA and trying to get published.  She doesn’t want any distractions, but it’s hard to ignore the step-brother who she’s always had a crush on.

“She’d never uttered my name like that before, as if she were pleading with me and surrendering at the same time. The sound made me harden on the outside and soften within. I sank my fingers into her hips and sucked a slip of her neck between my teeth, eliciting a whimper from her that made me forget everything: who we were, why it took me so long to do this, why it shouldn’t continue.”

I took an interest in James during the first book so I was pleased that he got his own story. Told via his and Brie’s alternating first person POV, James is a solid, reliable guy, trying to hold his family together and get the girl he always had a thing for. His advice and assessment about their parents was spot on.  

I had mixed feelings on Brie. On one hand, I high fived her for comments such as:

“‘Don’t infect me with your offensively dated views on gender roles.’”

At other times, I found her a little cool (not cold though) and detached. Now this was probably fitting for her character who’d gotten the short end of the stick when it came to her family, but it made it harder to feel warm and fuzzy about her.

“I was a headcase lately, swinging like a pendulum from blanket impersonator one minute to manic queen of vengeance the next, my moods as hard to predict as the fall weather.”

I was frustrated with her at times, especially when she pushed James away or didn’t even let him in. She didn’t have the spunk that Maddy did in the previous book.

In fact, that low angst steamy feel from book one seemed missing, right along with the actual Scrabble scene. It was such a motif and yet was only referenced rather than depicted. I kinda felt like it mistakenly ended up on the cutting room floor and needed reinserted. No pun intended….okay maybe a little one.  

Now what I ate up (I swear no pun this time) was the appearances of Quinn and Maddy. Quinn especially stole some of the scenes and made me want to re-read their story.

Now I’m hoping Maeve Mason gets her own book and her man before she makes a trip to the sperm bank.  

Safety Recap: 

No cheating. No sex scenes w/OP. H is not a manwhore; h is not a virgin. No rape but the h is a victim of attempted sexual assault and harassment. OW/OM drama: Minimal. OM: The h suffers advances/groping by her professor. Also minor presence of a friend that’s interested in her, but she’s not interested in him. OW: Minor appearance of H’s former hook-up as the host of a party, but H is no longer interested in her and she is seeing someone else too. HFN/HEA.

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*I volunteered to review this ARC from the author. All reviews written by Book-Bosomed Book Blog are honest opinions. In the interest of providing unbiased book reviews and to avoid misleading other readers, it is the blog’s policy not to withhold or delay any reviews no matter the star rating. To the best of my knowledge, this title was presented to the blog without any conditions or stipulations.

BOOK REVIEW: Pierced- A Stepbrother Romance by Maya Hawk

3.75 Stars

Lauryn Hudson isn’t expecting to run into her former teenage flame and current stepbrother, Sutton Pierce, at her yearly gynecologic appointment.  But the pierced and tattooed Sut that she once loved is now Dr. Pierce.

The awkward moments don’t end there. Lauryn and Sutton share a complicated past.

“‘Besides, first you were like my bratty kid sister, and then you were my friend, and then you got boobs and got all hormonal, and then I thought you were hot so I fucked you like crazy, and then we became stepsiblings, and now I’m going to fuck you, like I did back in high school, only now we’re adults.’”

Told via Lauryn and Sutton’s alternating first person POV, Lauryn must work through not only her issues with their parents’ scandalous history but what she wants for herself in the present.

The character development could be a little fuller. I really liked what is depicted of Sutton and considering he was only a teen when their relationship was blown apart the first time, I had a hard time relating to Lauryn’s decade or longer grudge. He seemed like a great guy that truly cared about her for the most part.

The story had potential and I wished it would have been fleshed out more. There’s a few flashback to their past as teenagers but to understand the history and depth of their relationship, I needed more. Less tell, more show. Plus Loren is in a relationship with someone else through the first part of the story and that didn’t help the budding second chance romance with Sutton.  More time spent developing them as a couple, more steam, and better organized flashbacks would have brought the rating up higher.

This is the author’s first novel and a promising debut. I purchased it as part of a bonus with the second release, Wanted. Pierced is still a decent read, but Wanted definitely improves upon places where Pierced fell short. 

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BOOK REVIEW: Wanted - A Bad Boy Romance by Maya Hawk

4.5 Stars

After attempting to avenge his mother and sister’s death, Titan Blackstone serves 5 years in prison. He’s not sure what’s left for him on the outside once he’s released, but he’s definitely not expecting the girl waiting for him.

Jordana Perry’s mother is nursing her own wounds of loss and she’s found some solace in Titan’s father.  A criminology major with an internship in the parole office and a bleeding heart, Jordana isn’t put off being the one to greet her potential step-brother, convict Titan, upon his reintroduction to freedom.

Titan once had a bright and promising future. Now he’s broken and jaded.  Jordana’s no stranger to family tragedy, but she hasn’t lost her passion for helping reform lost felons. And Titan more than incites that passion.

“‘Five year, Jordana. Five long fucking years. Do you have any idea what that does to a man? I’m right there. On the edge. You are too. I could kiss you so fucking hard right now, and I could promise you you won’t want it to end there.’”

He hasn’t been with a woman in five years. She’s tired of dating good guys. Titan is gritty and brass and off limits not only as a future step-sibling but also because of the nature of her internship. Jordana doesn’t let any of those things deter her though.

Will Titan let himself be “wanted” again? Can Jordana break down his walls? Will they both gamble too much and risk their futures? And who’s behind the random beatings around town?

Aside from Jordana and Titan’s can’t-resist-each-other encounters, there’s also a mystery subplot and a twist or two along the way.  Told via Titan and Jordana’s alternating first person POV, I mainly liked both of the characters and the plot moved along at a steady pace. The story kept me interested from start to finish. I hope we see more of Titan and Jordana in the next book that spins off  the MMA fighting angle. 

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BOOK REVIEW: Prince Albert by Sabrina Paige

3.75/4 Stars

Isabella “Belle” Kensington is about to become a princess. But two weeks ago she was a jilted fiancé, nursing tequila in Vegas, and making up for her marriage loss by wedding a stranger. It was supposed to be a joke, but it’s no joke that her new husband is also about to become her new stepbrother and he’s the crown prince of Protrovia.  

“Royal Dick Exposed! Get the Uncensored Photos The Royal Family Doesn’t Want You To See!”

Prince Albert, Albie as Belle calls him, is the headline making, hot, dirty talking royalty with jewels in his family jewels and a playboy reputation of meaningless one night stands.  Belle is his exception though, having spent the night talking rather than consummating their marriage. But that’s all about to change. Or at least the prince hopes so.

“‘I’m definitely not a gentleman….Although I always let a lady come first.’”

The premise of the story was cute, the royalty aspect original as far as erotic contemporary romances on the market right now.  The author warns in the opening notes that this story is implausible and over the top so you can prepare to be in for a crazy ride. I didn’t have a problem with that. It’s all light-hearted and silly, sexy fun, but I did grow tired of Belle’s surface dislike of Albie—made it hard to believe she was falling in anything more than lust, and the references to becoming siblings (like so many step romances) grew old fast.  With so many stories on the subject, it hardly feels taboo anymore. I would have much rather they capitalized more on the fact that they were already married, which was a more unique spin.

For the most part I found Albie and Belle likeable, but they also felt a little flat, sometimes one dimensional, and some of the supporting characters stereotypical.  Told via their dual first person point of view, there are plenty of sexy times by the prince and his technically already princess.  And some of those encounters are fairly original. They have no problem keeping their sex life interesting.  If you are looking for romantic comedy erotica, this would definitely be one to pick up.  For me it would have been a more solid 4 stars had they not handled their Vegas marriage how they did in the end. It certainly disappointed me and seemed to go against Albie’s characterization of breaking the rules and not caring about appearances. Plus it seemed like a mute point at that stage anyways.  All in all, the sexy times are detailed and well done but more build up of chemistry (perhaps their Vegas night as the prologue rather than in flashback might have helped) and a few swoon-worthy scenes would have made this a real prince of a tale.  

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~Now Available~
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COVER REVEAL: Ruthless by Alexis Abbott

Full Title: RUTHLESS A Mafia Step Brother Romance

Release Date: October 15, 2015

~Synopsis~

All I have to do is spy on Dimitri Brokov. The Dimitri Brokov. Billionaire, CEO, Russian Mobster, and my step-brother.

I can have it all. A fling with the hot, tattooed and totally off-limits cocky prick, half a million dollars and, best of all, the sweet taste of revenge to mend my broken heart.

Spying on Dimitri might just get me killed, but every time anger flickers into his eyes, I move a little closer. Every time he touches me, I get a little hotter.

I'm supposed to be in control, but I keep going back for more. His hands on me are addictive, the danger he's in thrills me. And when he ties me to his bed so I can't run, we share more than a night of passion; we share a purpose. A mission. One that threatens everything we thought we knew.

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I'm Alexis Abbott, and I love bad boys, gritty backdrops, and super steamy sex! Sign up for my mailing list to be notified of new releases, sales, giveaways, and lots of other fun stuff ;)

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Book Review

BOOK REVIEW: Bossy by Kim Linwood

~Synopsis~

It’s a dirty job, but someone’s got to do him.

One night only. No promises, no regrets. He was rich, ripped, inked up, and gone in the morning. I didn't even know his name. Not until I read it off the door on my first day at work.

See, I don't do bad boys, I don't do troublemakers and I sure as heck didn't graduate college with a 3.9 GPA by screwing around.

I was never supposed to see him again, but now he's my new boss, as sexy in a suit as he was between my sheets.

And my new stepbrother.

Having him was a slice of Heaven. Working for him could mean selling my soul. But if the devil looks like Declan Riordan, Hell might be worth the burn. 

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~Book Review~

4.5 Stars

Claire Anderson doesn’t expect to ever see again the tattooed hunk who left her bed before she woke up after a night of off the charts sex. 

Declan Riordan makes no promises so he doesn’t disappoint like Claire’s two-timing ex. His MO is one night stands. Well except for the feisty red-head he can’t get out of his head.

Color them both shocked to see each other again on Claire’s first day at work for an internship at her soon-to-be stepfather’s legal firm.

“‛As it turns out, we’ve bumped into each other a few times, but just never been formally introduced.’” — Declan

The story is easy to get into— the descriptions colorful, the writing witty, and both characters quite likeable.  Despite his sometimes arrogant and headstrong persona, Declan is a “badass knight in shining Armani.”  He’s certainly confident and alpha, but the story, told via Declan and Claire’s alternating first person POV, helps the reader see the sometimes misunderstood Declan as a fairly upstanding guy underneath even when Claire isn’t so sure.

“I still can’t tell if he’s a nice guy with moments of jerk, or a jerk with moments of nice.” —Claire

The two have plenty of entertaining banter and comical innuendo.

“‛I can already tell you’ll be well qualified for whatever position I put you in.’” — Declan

And Claire is no wall flower; she’s able to give as good as she gets.

There’s a lot of fun in this story as Claire and Declan embark on a not-so-innocent game of professional pranks, behaving like the ornery stepsiblings they’re about to become. Step-sibling books have become all the rage, but they’re hardly taboo anymore so I adore the ones that don’t take themselves too seriously and instead make a comedic play on the premise like this one.

I could have done a bit without the OM drama in the form of a creepy ex subplot. But I give major points to both Claire and Declan for staying true to their characters and not caving to the pressures. If they were weaker characters it could have gone a totally different way and I’m glad it didn’t, nor did it overpower the main story.  Still one of the things I so adored about the author’s previous book Rebel was the lack of clichéd jealous schemers, and I honestly thought Claire and Declan were entertaining enough without throwing in this often contrived romance plot device. But I suppose it does serve as a means to an end, and in the end, it ties together well as all their dramas and perceived obstacles come full circle with Declan doing the hero thing in his own Declan way.

All in all, a funny, light-hearted, sexy romance. HEA w/an epilogue though I wished the epilogue was just a tad longer as the pair made a great couple and Declan was pretty delectable!

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~Also by the Author~

Rebel

REVIEW/RELEASE BLITZ: Bastard by Coco Cadence

Full title: Bastard: A Stepbrother Romance

Genre: Erotic Romance 

~Blurb~

I’m a f*cking bastard.

I f*ck girls to forget about her.

She’s the girl I’m not supposed to want … my step-sister.

She hates me for what I’ve done.

I ruined her life.

Now I’m a Motocross racer. A winner. A player. A bastard.

But being a bastard comes with bad press.

Lucky for me Emily is a PR agent.

When she comes to work for me, I’ll make her remember why she once wanted me too.

She can’t say no … she needs me to keep her job, and I need her to f*ck me.

One way or another, she will be mine again.

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~Book Review~

4 Stars

This step-sibling romance is the story of Motocross racer Chris King and his PR rep step-sister Emily. It’s actually a story of second chance love because Chris and Emily have a history that starts before they were ever step-siblings. 

Told via both Chris and Emily’s first person POVs, the story alternates between the present and their teenage years to reveal the back story of their relationship—their complicated relationship. I enjoyed their back story quite a bit. There were places where it could have been executed a little deeper or more fully, but overall it does add depth to their characters. It also provides a few twists along the way that kept the story entertaining. 

I have to say, my first impression of Chris didn’t put him on any book boyfriend lists for me. The reader is introduced to him on the verge of getting a blow job just before a race. Inwardly I groaned, and not for the same reasons he might have been groaning. I’m not really sure when this type of introduction to the H became romantic, but it turned me off. And the girl he’s with…well she’s pretty eye roll worthy. On top of that Chris refers to himself as a whore and says he likes to “bang.” Immature was a fitting adjective to describe him in the beginning. 

Emily, on the other hand, I liked her spunk right off the bat. She did her best to cope with him, and she wasn’t a doormat. Thankfully, Chris pulls his head out of his ass and steps up his game. He definitely grows as a character, wanting to become a better person, and becomes pretty likable by the end. 

There’s some cute banter between them: 

“‛I have a Kit Kat in my desk.’”—Emily

 “‛I have a Milky Way in my pants.’” —Chris

And then things heat up to some super sexy descriptive scenes. These two were definitely on fire together. 

“‛You coming or do you want me to pull out my Milky Way to make you come?’” —Chris

While this actually started out as more of a 3 star rating for me (see immature man-whore issues above), as it progressed it picked up and I was rooting for them to be together. Their history actually helped a lot, softening his rough edges a bit, and I gave Chris major points for ditching his promiscuous ways and becoming a one-woman man, the woman he truly cared about all along. 

Bastard is a stand-alone, HEA. Chris’s one brother is featured in a previous trilogy entitled Possessed. There is a scene or two where his brother’s story seems to be referenced. 

AMAZON US / UK

~Excerpt~

(Mature Content/18+ Readers)

He leans back, his lips red from kissing me, and dear fucking god, they look suckable.

“Fuck, you’re so beautiful,” he rasps, making me blush. “Don’t hide from me, Em. I wanna feel your skin. See you without anything between us.” With his index finger, he tips up my chin. “I want all of you.” He leans in and presses a deep, toe-curling kiss on my lips. “Give me all of you, Em. Everything.”

Oh god, why’d he have to say such a thing? I don’t know how to respond.

“I—”

He places a finger on my lips. “Don’t say a word. I’ll show you how good it can be.”

He plants another kiss on my lips, eliciting my lips to move up with him as we separate. Damn, why do I want this so much? I’m addicted to his taste, his touch.

I let him sweep me off my feet, I admit. I have no defense anymore, all my barriers are down, and I live at the moment, clinging to his lips like it’s my source of energy. This isn’t me. I don’t let guys get close so quickly, but this is Chris, and he’s gotten me deep … deep in trouble.

My hardened nipples rub against his shirt as he lowers me onto the table, kissing his way down my chest. My breath hitches in my throat as he licks my nipple, circling around the crown, teasing the peak. His delicious kisses burn me to my core, and when his fingers travel down my body to my panties, they’re completely soaked.

“Like this?” he groans, taking my nipple into his mouth, sucking hard.

My body arches to meet him, desperate for more. I dare not say the words that come to mind; fuck, yes. I feel ashamed to admit it, but I’m letting myself fall for his seduction. Hard.

“Don’t worry, babe. I’m going to give you everything you need.” He pops the button of my jeans, rips down my zipper, and takes it all off as if it comes easily to him. His mouth has my mind spinning, distracting me, but not enough for me not to notice his hand disappearing into my panties. When his fingers slide over my pussy, I gasp, my clit thumping with need.

“Did you ever fantasize about this, Em? Did you ever think about me taking you hard and fast on this table right here?”

I whimper as he rubs my clit, his fingers sliding down my wetness, coating me entirely.

He chuckles. “No need to answer … I already know.”

“What?” I mumble, lost in delirium.

“Your pussy is begging me to make it come,” he murmurs, and then he gently tugs my nipple with his teeth, causing me to moan out loud. “But maybe your pussy hasn’t deserved it after making me so jealous I almost punched a guy,” he growls, and then he rips down my panties in one go.

His smile is deviously sexy as I look down at him, and I’m still trying to decide whether to jab him in the face or let him fuck me until I’m drunk on love.

He grins, licking his upper lip agonizingly slow as if to show me how much he has my body under his control. “But I also know you and I want this too much.”

“You can get jealous all you want, but this pussy only belongs to one person and that’s me,” I retort.

“Oh … we’ll see about that.” His gruff voice drags, heating me up from the inside out.

Suddenly, his hands grip my waist and he lowers himself off the table, between my legs. My eyes widen as his nose dips close, sniffing my scent. After a second, he growls, “Mine.”

Coco Cadence is an erotic romance writer, who loves cocky heroes and smartass heroines. She adores happy ever after’s as much as her fans do, and she will never stop writing them. In her free time she enjoys reading a good book, playing with her cute dogs, and spending quality time with her soon-to-be husband, but you can always find her drifting off into her mind to think of new stories.

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RELEASE/REVIEW: Criminal by Alex Abbott

~Synopsis~

He was my protector. My savior. He would have done anything for me.

Now he's a criminal, and he's taken everything.

He's my stepbrother and I hate him.

I'm homeless, jobless, desperate. And I had to come crawling back. To him.

Bad enough my college money went to post his bail, now I have to work in the same, seedy bar he deals out of, too, just to get by? And listen to him with girl after girl, night after night, while he walks around all shirtless and sexy during the day?

I'm going crazy--wanting him. I know I shouldn't.

Maybe he was once my Prince Charming, but now he's just a big, tattooed, pierced, cocky prick. 

Problem is, even though he cut contact with me two years ago, I couldn't turn off the feeling I had for him. He's back, and my feelings are back too.

Now he's in trouble, with his gang, with the law.

And me... I'm in trouble, too.

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~Book Review~

3 Stars

Abby Tuney is down on her luck. And that’s almost putting it mildly. Her parents are gone, she has no money, and the only place she has to live is with her rough and rowdy older step-brother, Kaiden, who treats her like crap. Once her hero and the object of her crush, their relationship is now strained to say the least.  

Abby and Kaiden both land themselves in a dangerous situation so the story has a distinct desolate feel. It borders on the angsty side of fiction, and both characters were a little too fickle, too much hot & cold, too much running away for my tastes.

All in all, taking the book as I whole, I didn’t dislike Abby or Kaiden but I didn’t love them either. Abby is a little naïve at times; Kaiden a little too uncouth and stubborn. Kaiden definitely didn’t make me all warm and fuzzy about him from the opening. Abby might have been aroused by him banging other women in the room next to hers before they get together but that type of thing is a big turn off for me. As the story progressed I worked past it but then Kaiden would bring up those women when they’re intimate, and I was reminded once again what didn’t endear me to him in the beginning.

The sex scenes are definitely dirty—literally at times. And when Kaiden isn’t referencing the women before her, Abby isn’t referring to her “cunny”, and neither of them are labeling each other as actual siblings, it’s pretty hot. 

“In all my fantasies, I never knew it could feel like this, and my hands grip the cheap sheets as he impales me. He feels so hot, so thick, and I can feel the beating of his heart through his huge tool. Every pulse resonates through me, and for the first time, we’re really, truly linked.”

I give points for Kaiden redeeming himself in the end, although the ending felt a little rushed. I wanted a little more of how things worked out. 

All in all, the premise showed potential. A little more character and story development (what happened to Abby’s other parent? Did Kaiden have a last name?) and a bit of grammar/writing clean up (there were also many sentences that told the story in both present and past tense) would make it stronger.

It will most appeal to die hard readers of edgier step-sibling romances (it follows all the typical step-sibling tropes).  Readers of action-adventure romance will also enjoy the light suspense and outside the law plot.

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Alex Abbott is a former defense attorney who moonlights as an author of romantic suspense and erotic thrillers. Alex focuses on giving fans tastes of darkness, pushing them to the limits while exploring criminal underbellies, corrupt billionaires, and the women who get wrapped up in events they don’t want to control. Make sure to sign up for the newsletter for previews, review copies, and special surprises. http://alexabbottauthor.com/newsletter

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BOOK REVIEW: Jerked by BB Hamel

~Synopsis~

My future stepbrother. My personal bodyguard. 

Colin Blake is a mob a**hole. He’s rude, crude, and loves a good fight. He’s arrogant, self-assured, and won’t hesitate to take what he wants.

And we’re stuck in the same house. All because my psycho ex-boyfriend is chasing me down and won’t stop until he steals me back.

Worst of all, my stepbrother bodyguard treats me like a prisoner, and I’m supposed to act like I’m not staring when he walks around in just a towel. The truth is, I hate him for jerking me around when were younger, but I still want to taste his lips whenever we talk.

I can’t stand it.

I hate that I need his help. I hate that I want his body. Even with the mob ready to go to war, all I can think about is his cocky grin driving me insane.

Jerked contains mature content (explicit sexual situations, violence, and mature language), and is recommended for audiences 18+. 

Jerked is a standalone, full-length novel. No cliffhanger.
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~Book Review~

4.75 Stars

Irish mob daughter Brenna O’Brian has returned home to escape her Italian mobster ex and mend fences with her estranged father.  For her protection she’s assigned a bodyguard— Colin Blake, her almost adopted brother/second in line to her father.

In the years since she’s been away, Colin has gotten hotter, harder, and sexier than when she last crushed on him, and while he might have left an opportunity with her escape in the past, he’s not about to make that mistake twice. 

“She was the first woman that I really wanted, and the first one I had turned down. I spent many, many nights regretting that choice since then, and many, many lonely days imagining what it would have been like to slip my hard cock into the Princess’s wet little pussy.”

Colin is a confident, dirty talking, dominant, dangerous mob boy, packing guns and condoms. He breaks knees for a living and he gets a thrill from it. Turns out the one thing he enjoys more than fighting though is f*cking. 

“‛I’d love to pull those sexy pants down around your ankles, bend you over, and slip my tongue along your soaked pussy…We can do it right here, if you want. I can make you come on my tongue while you try not to make too much noise.’”

Colin is undeniably hot and the perfect bad boy book boyfriend. He’s well endowed and ready to go at all times: 

“I was practically tearing out of my pants. I wanted to bend her over right there, f*ck her up against the historical fiction section.”

He’s giving and generous: 

“‛I’d soak through a hundred more shirts to taste that again.’”

And despite his cut-throat profession, he has an upstanding sweet sweeter side to him as well. ;-) 

“I’m the Santa Claus of violent criminals.”

Brenna is a likeable character too and one lucky girl. Once things heat up between them, they get really steamy. And does this boy have serious stamina! Just reading about it practically had me panting.

Told via Brenna and Colin’s alternating POV, the story has touches of suspense and just the right amount of drama without angst.  In the beginning they are both harboring a slight secret from each other but I was pleased that it wasn’t drug out and didn’t cause unnecessary misunderstanding.  It was refreshing to get a couple working together and not letting outside forces separate them. This story is all about the sexy adventures and action plot.  I also enjoyed the fact that despite all the girls that Colin could have, once Brenna reenters the picture he only has eyes for her.  

My only real critique was a few choices of wording. Brenna (and I believe even Colin) refer to her privates as her “spot” a little too frequently.  It was different but a little tiresome after a while. Also, Colin is often referred to as her step-brother, but I’m not sure that’s entirely accurate as step-siblings are usually defined by having one parent married to another, which is not the case here.  None-the-less, those are just minor issues and the story is still an incredibly enjoyable read.  Colin and Brenna make a good couple, and I recommend them for your next steamy read.  

AMAZON

BOOK REVIEW: Rebel by Kim Linwood

~Synopsis~

I married my stepbrother. 

Yeah, no one’s more surprised than me. I can’t f*cking stand him. 

All I wanted was a quiet summer before starting college. Catch up on my books. Maybe get a summer job. Then he dropped into my life. 

His name’s Gavin Caldwell, and he’s stupidly rich. Cocky. Arrogant. Ridiculously, panty-meltingly hot. 

And he’s parading around our bridal suite shirtless. Pantless. 

He has no freaking shame, and I have to pretend to be in love with him. 

I hate him. 

So why can’t I stop thinking about him?

~Book Review~

4.75 Stars

An almost club hook-up acquaints Stanford bound pre-med student Angie Wilson with tattoo clad rich boy Gavin Caldwell. Though she gets an eyeful, she hasn’t seen the last of him.

The first line of the synopsis (see above) was my hook for this book. There’s a ton of step-brother romances on the market right now and while the initial premise (girl meets boy; unbeknownst to boy and girl their parents meet; girl and boy find out they are going to be stepsiblings) was typical of many step-sibling stories, where the plot goes from there was what made this story a fun and enjoyable ride…or cruise.

It’s kinda like contemporary step-sibling romance meets Love Boat.  Except Captain Stubing is an adventure (tall) telling silver fox; Gopher is young, awkward, and has bad timing; Isaac might spit in your glass; there’s no Julie or Doc. And I kept wondering what guest star might play Mabel and Joyce (I'd vote Betty White). ;-)  Either way, the love at sea aspect is all there along with plenty of scenes that would have been way too hot for TV in the ‘80’s. 

“Angie’s writhing on my lap like a cat in heat. My hot little pussy. I knew she had it in her, and I want to rip those panties off and f*ck her silly…”

Gavin is the dirty-whispering, arrogant, spoiled bad boy who becomes quite the book boyfriend as the cruise sails along.   

“‛I’ll have to settle for dreaming of you on our wedding night. On all fours, with your gown up around your waist.’”

Angie is a cute and likeable heroine. She’s a little naïve at times, but she also knows how to push Gavin’s buttons. As he does hers. They are exactly what each other needs, but it takes them being “secluded” together on their parent’s marriage cruise to discover that. And that’s exactly what I loved about the story. There’s no angst, no clichéd jealous schemers trying to keep them apart.  Love is a journey, about getting to know each other, feeding that exciting but confusing spark and turning it into an eternal flame. Rebel follows that course...with a boat-load of fun and flirty scenes that kept me glued to my Kindle from the time I one-clicked till I reached the last page.

I don’t want to spoil the details of the “marriage” but I will say it was one of my favorite parts. This is what light-hearted romance is all about!  It’s sweet; it’s sexy; it's sweet-n-sexy little moments; it’s go with the moment fun that makes new adult stories so full of possibilities.

How will Angie and Gavin’s parents react when they find out what they’ve done?  Is their own parent’s relationship even based on stable ground?  What will it take for Angie to finally lose her v-card to the cocky boy who wets her panties but might soon be her big bro?  And how will they handle the new family roles once they dock on shore? Find out what goes on behind cabin doors and how love floats on this boat. 

“I know exactly what kind of brotherly love he has for me, and chivalry has nothing to do with it.”

Rebel is a fun, pack your sunscreen and bikini, steamy, shower spraying, spanking, new adult contemporary romance to jump on board with. Plus, no Titanic endings here.

AMAZON    GOODREADS

Kim Linwood is a sucker for bad boys, billionaires and alpha males. If they're all three at once, that's even better. When she's not writing about romantic conflicts and witty dialogue, she's herding two growing boys (who are of course not bad) with her husband.

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REVIEW/INTERVIEWS: Badass by Alana Albertson & Linda Barlow

Genres: Action / Adventure, Contemporary, Erotic, New Adult, Romance

~Synopsis~

Badass: A Stepbrother SEAL Romance
I f**ked a SEAL—the human kind, the kind who shoots terrorists, sports rock hard abs and tattooed biceps, and scores an easy lay with every girl he ever wants.

I should’ve known better. I should be studying harbor seals’ breeding habits, not conducting my own research into mating rituals of the Navy variety.

He’s a jackass. An arrogant, womanizing, patronizing, Harley-riding jerk.

A one-night stand. One night of the most incredible sex I’ve ever had. Shane is trained to kill with his bare hands in 300 different ways—and he knows 300 ways to f**k me, too.

Now my father is engaged to his mother. And we’re heading to Mexico for the wedding. The prick is blackmailing me. He’s threatening to ruin their big day if I don’t surrender to his demands.

Quit is not in his vocabulary. I hate him, but I know he’ll never give up until he gets everything he wants.

Screw that! I won’t give up—I’ll never submit to America’s cockiest badass.

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Amazon

~Book Review~

4.5 Stars

Shane is the badass. He’s a no-commitment navy SEAL guy. Cassie isn’t interested in anything serious either. She’s a grad student studying Marine Biology.  When a sea lion (yes I said sea lion) brings them together this book is off to a hot, dirty (read super steamy) start.

Shane rocks the cocky, alpha bad boy hero role.  

“I could hold my breath for five minutes—a useful skill for stalking pirates. Also came in handy when eating pussy.”

Cassie, meanwhile, is sweet, shows a vulnerable side, but is also feisty. That makes a fun female lead.

“If people fell in love, they fell in love. There was nothing Mr. Super SEAL could do about that. Suck it up, Sand-Boy.”

Though they think their worlds are only going to collide for one sexy night, it turns out they are about to get more…familiar. As in family familiar. Related!  But before things become too incestuous, the pair attempts to get it all out of their system before their parents wed in Mexico.  

This book has one of my favorite things. Hangman time: First word start with an R_ _ _. Second word starts with a T_ _ _.  Road trip!   

“’We take the bike. You can be my old lady for a few days. Yeah. I love that idea.’”

The sexy times go on the road for an adventure that will either fill their erotic scrapbooks or bring them closer together.  Unfortunately, there was one attempted incident on the trip that crops up in fiction far too often for my tastes. Sigh. I won’t go into a long spiel to avoid spoilers and thankfully it is just a close call.  

Movin’ right along…. Overall this was a fun, sexy story about two ‘no time for relationships’ people finding their way. And despite their non-committal mantra, I was relieved that this story was just about the two of them.  As far as the dynamics of their relationship goes, it’s not just the whole forbidden step-sibling thing that stands in their way; Cassie and Shane must address the reasons behind their own commitment issues and a few hang-ups on Shane’s end.  Which, he was actually kind of funny in regards to his distaste and discomfort with the rich. It made the tough guy a little vulnerable too.

In regards to the whole step-sibling ting, it was nice to see the parents addressed/developed as sometimes they are a bit over-looked in some step-sibling tales. But that is not the case here. Even though Cassie and Shane are adults, the authors do a nice job of showing their feelings in regards to their parents getting remarried and the personal responses that raises for them. They don’t come off selfish or immature; simply adult children with real feelings in regards to their family and past.  

Told via Cassie and Shane’s alternating first person point of view, it’s easy to understand both characters.  And as far as chemistry goes, their sexual attraction oozes off the page. And by the last page, I still couldn’t get enough of them.

Want more Cassie and Shane?  Keep reading for the blog’s character interview….

~Character Interview~

“5 Questions with Shane and Cassie from Badass”

Welcome Cassie and Shane to the Book-Bosomed Book Blog! (*Discreetly ogles Shane’s hard SEAL body.* Yep, hot just like Cassie described.) *clears throat* Okay, so readers can learn a few more interesting tidbit about you two fabulously intriguing and adventurous people, here’s five sentences for each of you to complete about yourself. Feel free to chime in to each other’s responses.

Q1. I can’t live without…

Cassie: The naughty answer is that before Shane, I wouldn’t have wanted to live without my BOB, but now I don’t need it! But seriously, I love the ocean. I want to live where I can hear the sound of the waves while Shane and I are making love. That was one of the things I loved about our road trip!

Shane: Cassie’s pussy. And my Gerber tactile tool. Has blades, scissors, pliers. Perfect for torturing terrorists, or anyone who harasses my woman.

Q2. I’ll do anything to avoid….

Cassie: Earthquakes! I guess that’ll be hard now that I live in California, but I hope I’m never again so close to the epicenter of a Big One.

Shane: Talking about my feelings. Even to Cassie. Not gonna happen.

Q3. My best quality is….

Cassie: My curiosity, I think. I love to learn about new people and new things. Of course, that gets me into trouble sometimes, too.

Shane: My loyalty. My trust is hard earned, but once you get in my tight circle, I’ll lay down my life for you.

Q4. My worst habit is….

Cassie: Well, I guess I can be a bit snarky at times. Shane, stop agreeing with me!

Shane: Cassie’s definitely a smartass. I’m stubborn.

Q5. You’d never guess this about me but…

Cassie: Even though I’m a vegetarian, I secretly miss a good, rare, juicy steak.

Shane: When I was younger I wanted to be an animator for Disney movies.

Thanks Cassie and Shane! Now let's have a little Q&A with authors Alana Albertson and Linda Barlow.....

~Author Interview~

“5 Questions with Alana Albertson & Linda Barlow”

Q1. The story flowed seamlessly. Your writing styles must blend well. How did you two come together as a writing team? And how do you divide up the writing/editing, etc work?

Linda: First of all, thank you so much! We worked hard to get our writing to blend, going over and over each scene until we got it right. We brainstormed the overall plot and the various scenes together, working out the problems as much as we could in advance. Since we have both our main characters’ points of view, we split it up so that Alana wrote Shane’s chapters and I wrote Cassie’s.

Occasionally we switched, if one of us knew more about a particular subject. We each went over the other’s chapters and offered suggestions for changes or improvements. Then we looked at the book as a whole and fixed everything that didn’t seem to work.

As for how we met, Alana and I have an internet romance! We met online, and one of these days we hope to meet in person, but we live 3000 miles away from each other. We both like smart, fast-paced, sexy books with solid plots and sympathetic characters, so that’s what we tried to write. We both welcome criticism if it makes our writing better, so we could be honest with each other about anything in the book that didn’t quite click. We edited and re-wrote a lot of stuff until we both felt it was right.

Alana: All true! Linda answered my email to join a paranormal Christmas anthology I was putting together. I was so star struck since she’d won a RITA (romance equivalent of the Oscar). She’s such an amazing writer and my own writing has grown so much since working with her. I’m honored to cowrite a book with her. Writing Badass with her was like taking a master class.

Q2. Shane is quite the drool-worthy hero, though demanding and cocky of course. What was your inspiration for his character? Was he purely fictional or based on a real SEAL?

Linda: I’ll let Alana answer that one.

Alana: Uh, I plead the fifth. No seriously, in my 20s I dated a Navy SEAL who was an instructor at BUD/S. Shane is an amalgamation of many SEALs I met, as well as my dream badass hero.

Q3. I was struck by a lot of the details of their road trip and their professions. How much research did you have to do for the story? Have either of your traveled their Baja journey route?

Linda: I have traveled extensively in Mexico, and one of my earlier novels is set there, but I haven’t taken that particular road trip. I watched a whole lot of YouTube videos of folks on motorcycles who traveled through the Baja peninsula to get a feel for what each day on the road would be like. I also spent a lot of time researching wilderness survival and how to find water in the desert.

As for Cassie’s profession, I’ve done graduate work in biology myself so I know a lot about fish and marine biology. I also used to go trout fishing in Montana, so I know Molly and Shane’s hometown and the Big Horn River, where Molly is a fishing guide.

Alana: I live in San Diego and have driven to Tijuana, Ensenada, Puerto Nuevo, and Cabo. As for the SEAL research, all of that came from my personal experience dating a Team guy.

Q4. Do you each have a favorite scene?

Linda: I love how Cassie and Shane first met. I also have a couple of favorite scenes that are in the second half of the book, but I don’t want to spoil anything. I’m a huge fan of all Alana’s Shane scenes, though. He is SO hot!

Alana: Thanks Linda! I adore Cassie! She’s a strong, smart, kickass chick. My favorite scene is when Cassie sees Shane schooling the BUD/S candidates. BUD/S training is such a hot, sexually charged, masculine environment. Picture 200 hot, wet, and sandy men on the beach. I felt it was a great way for Cassie to get a taste of what Shane did for a living.

Q5. What new projects are on the horizon for both of you? Will Badass be a stand-alone or can readers expect more books? Perhaps some featuring Shane’s colleagues or trainees where we might get future glimpses of Shane and Cass? (That might be a not so subtle hint. lol)

Linda: We are hoping to do at least two more sexy romances together, tentatively titled Hardass and Kickass. But they are in the planning stages. I also write contemporary romance (TheDangerous Hero, Uncover Me) and shifter romance (TheZrakon’s Bride, The Zrakon’s Curse). I wrote a novella, My Mile-High Mistake, for the Summer Fire anthology which is about to launch on May 26, and I have a novel coming out in July for the Bad Boy Alphas series of paranormal romances.

Alana: I love writing with Linda and can’t wait for our next two projects. As for Shane’s buddies, all of them have books out or planned. Pat is the hero of Invincible. Grant is the hero of the Seven Deadly SEALs Serial, the first one Conceit is out now, Chronic will be out next month, with the final 5 to follow this summer. And Kyle’s book Invaluable will be out in June. I promise Shane will make cameos!

Thank you for having us!!! Book-Bosomed

-You're very welcome! Thanks so much for the interviews!!! Really enjoyed hearing how the story came together!

About Alana Albertson

Alana Albertson is the President of RWA Contemporary Romance Writers, former President of RWA's Young Adult and Chick Lit chapters, and the founder of Academe Advantage, a college admissions & test preparation company. Alana Albertson holds a Masters of Education from Harvard University and a Bachelor of Arts in English from Stanford University. A recovering professional ballroom dancer, Alana currently writes contemporary romance, romantic suspense and paranormal romance. She lives in San Diego, California, with her husband, two young sons, and four dogs. When she’s not spending her time needlepointing, dancing, or saving dogs from high kill shelters through Pugs N Roses, the rescue she founded, she can be found watching episodes of House Hunters, Homeland, or Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders: Making the Team.

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About Linda Barlow

Linda Barlow is the author of 25 novels, with more on the way. She lives in New England with her mysterious spouse (who sleeps during the day, which has often made her wonder if he's a vampire) and their equally enigmatic and nocturnal cat.
Linda has written in various genres, including historical and contemporary romance, romantic suspense, paranormal romance, New Adult romance, family sagas, and general mainstream fiction. Publishers have included Doubleday, Dell, Penguin, Warner Books, Hachette, New American Library/Signet, Berkley/Putnam, Silhouette and Harlequin.
Linda is a USA Today bestselling author. She's proud to have earned a few awards over the years, including the Rita from Romance Writers of America for Leaves of Fortune; New Historical Novelist of the year from Romantic Times for Fires of Destiny; and a Career Achievement award from RT.

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