Review: Beyond Pain by Kit Rocha

Beyond Series:

Book 3:

Beyond Pain: Bren and Six

Purchase on Amazon: Kit Rocha – Beyond Pain (Beyond, Book Three)

Summary:

From Goodreads.com

A woman with no future…

Live fast, die young–anything else is a fantasy for Six. She’s endured the worst the sectors had to throw at her, but falling in with Dallas O’Kane’s Sector Four gang lands her in a whole new world of danger. They’re completely open about everything, including their sexuality–but she hasn’t survived this long by making herself vulnerable. Especially not to men as dominant as Brendan Donnelly.

A man without a past…

Bren is a killer, trained in Eden and thrown to the sectors. His one outlet is pain, in the cage and in the bedroom, and emotion is a luxury he can’t afford–until he meets Six. Protecting her soothes him, but it isn’t enough. Her hunger for touch sparks a journey of erotic discovery where anything goes–voyeurism, flogging, rough sex. He has only one rule: he won’t share her.

In Bren’s arms, Six is finally free to let go. But his obsession with the man who made him a monster could destroy the fragile connection they’ve forged, and cost him the one thing that makes him feel human–her love.

Review:

BEYOND PAIN by Kit Rocha is one of my favorite books so far this year. To say that I am obsessed with this series and the men and women of O’Kane clan is an understatement. I first read BEYOND SHAME on a whim; I mean come on you just got to see what dystopian erotica is all about. I have to admit I was quite intrigued by the concept. After BEYOND SHAME it was the characters that stuck with me for a while, making me go back and re-read the book. I ended up loving it even more the 2^nd time around. Since then, I have been quite obsessed. Kit Rocha cannot pump out books from this series fast enough for my liking. The women of Sector Four are survivors and tough, they might start the book doubting themselves due to circumstances but you can bet by the end of the book, they bring the tough O’Kane men to their knees. The O’Kane men, man o’ man are you in for a sexy treat, whether you are into the more showy of the men (Ace), the obvious leader (Dallas) or the more undercover bad asses (Cruz and Bren) there is an O’Kane for you! Or you can be like Annie from over at Under the Covers Book Blog and claim all of the O’Kane men for yourself! Lol

For me, I’m more a fan of the undercover bad ass. The person that stays in the shadows and takes care of any business at hand. From the start I was intrigued by Bren, he is Dallas’s shadow. He came from nothing, made his way to the elite guard and was then betrayed by his leader; which brought him to the Sectors. He’s been with Dallas from pretty much the beginning, and would do anything for Dallas which is why his revenge against the one that betrayed him has been on the back burner but not forgotten. Bren is the KING of the cage, pretty much unbeatable, trained to kill; it’s what he knows and what he’s good at. His love of pain doesn’t certainly doesn’t hinder his success in and out of the cage. Bren is a masochist, but don’t mistake him for a submissive because he is all dominate male! He says it best in this line. “I like pain, not submission. I’m in charge, sweetness, or it won’t work.” I thought the pain would pay a larger part in this book, although it is mentioned and does play a part it is minimal; however, his dominate tendencies are front and center. The minute this dominate male tucked a beaten Six in the back of his car he’s felt protective of her. He is determined to bring life back to Six. Little by little he earns her trust and finally gets her into his bed. But with his revenge so very close after so many years he may lose himself to it, or even worse he may lose Six, because he is blinded by something that may not seem so important if he no longer has the one thing that has come to mean more to him then his own life. What I liked about Bren, besides all of his badassness is he doesn’t really fight his feeling for Sex, he knows that he wants her and patiently goes about getting her. He knows she’s damaged and is willing to put in the work to help her put the pieces of herself back together again and then make her stronger. He never tells her she can’t do something, he even helps her obtain it.

When we meet Six in BEYOND SHAME she is beaten into a bloody pulp. She is beyond damaged, she is shattered, both mentally and physically. She doesn’t understand how things work in Sector Four, she is used to a whole different regime where the men take what they want, and abuse is the norm. She doesn’t know what to do with herself in Sector Four, for now she is working in the bar but she still feels like an outsider. When Bren needs her help she eagerly steps up, not only does this bring her closer to Bren, but it manages to make her feel more like one of the O’Kanes. I have a proud momma moment when she steps into the Cage and has the opportunity to beat the shit out of one of the men that just stood by and watched her get abused over and over again. And when I say, beat the shit out of, I mean she really beat his ass! You go girl! Little by little she finds herself worth again. The O’Kanes have a way of taking the damaged and making them stronger in the end in their own way and Six is no exception to this trend. She ends up finding her place with or without Bren.

In BEYOND PAIN more so than the other books of this series has stronger world building. We spend more time building up the world and more importantly some of the O’Kanes. We are introduced to a couple of new characters and build upon some of the others. We are building a strong foundation for future books especially BEYOND JEALOUSLY which will be the next full length book in this series, which I cannot wait for! I think with the world building we do lose a little of the intensity of the first two books, but it’s minimal as I still freak’n loved this book! One thing you can count on with this series is some seriously creative sex scenes. There are lots of one offs but I’ve come to notice that there is one scene that is THE SCENE and you know it when you get to it. Annie and I were telling Sarah from feelingfictional.com that when she got to the scene we were talking about it she would know it. And sure enough, when she got to it, she knew exactly what we were talking about. Lol It was truly creative and HOT HOT HOT! There was this other scene that I had wished we had gotten the end of, there was build up and bam, we are somewhere else. Damn you Kit Rocha for that tease! Guess they will just have to make it up to us in BEYOND JEALOUSLY.

Rating:

*This review can also be viewed on http://paranormalromancenovel.com

Review: Feel the Rush by Kelsie Leverich

Hard Feelings Series:

Book 2:

Feel the Rush: Meagan Mitchell and Reed Porter

Purchase on Amazon.com: Feel the Rush: A Hard Feelings Novel (InterMix)

Summary:

From Goodreads.com

The New York Times bestselling author of The Valentine’s Arrangement continues her sizzling series with a new novel of a plan that goes awry—in the arms of a soldier…

Picking the wrong men is a talent Meagan Mitchell has perfected. She’s sweet, confident, beautiful—and single. With her thirtieth birthday sneaking up on her, she needs a new plan. No more Mr. Wrongs or Mr. Bads, it’s time to find Mr. Safe…

Army Captain, Reed Porter, lives for the thrill—he’s an Airborne Jumpmaster with a rush addiction. He’s sexy and playful, and he quickly tempts Meagan with his rich Southern drawl and sinful looks. But slowing down and settling down are not in his agenda, making him exactly the type of man Meagan wants to avoid…

As their undeniable attraction heats up, Meagan has to decide if she’s willing to risk everything on a chance at love with a reckless charmer. Is she brave enough to bet her future—and her heart—on Mr. Thrill? Or will Reed finally learn that the feeling of a safe landing is just as addicting as the rush of the fall?

Review:

What a great story! I read the first book in the series and really liked it, but I got to say this one was better! I had loved Ronnie’s hard ass attitude but adored Meagan soft heart. We met Meagan in the Valentines Arrangement, she was Kale’s friends with benie’s before he found Ronnie. I wasn’t quite sure what to make of her coming into this book, but I found she was a pleasant surprise. She has a great sense of humor, she’s that kind of quiet one that out of nowhere cracks a smart ass comment and has everyone laughing. That’s almost my favorite kind of humor because you never quite see it coming. Romantically, her dating life has been a disaster. She is coming up on the big 3-0 and always thought she would be married with kids by the time she was 30. To escape a bad dating pattern she picks up and moves when her best friend Eva (who I also loved btw) came up on orders. Only, she falls right into the arms of her very first one night stand, Reed Porter, only its 8 years later and he doesn’t recognize her. This time Meagan is determined to break the pattern and to not sleep with the irresistible Reed. But Reed has other plans for her.

Reed is our adrenaline junky! Meagan nicknamed him Mr. Thrill and it fits. He will do anything for a rush, and right now chasing Meagan is giving him a rush of a lifetime, but he’s not a forever type of guy. Meagan has made it clear what she is looking for, but Reed wants to give it a go anyway. Although Reed comes off as a fun loving guy, he has demons of his own. There is a reason he doesn’t form many lasting attachments. When you lose the other part of your soul it leaves a pretty lasting impact. Reed leads on a fun pursuit of Meagan and it is definitely fun to read, the push and pull between these two strong willed characters is entertaining. I didn’t want to put the book down and when I did I couldn’t wait to pick it back up to see what these two get themselves into next. Ultimately I saw the general outcome coming, yet not. Kelsie Leverich definitely threw a wrench in what I thought was going to happen. I have to admit it brought a tear to my eye and I’m sure it will bring others to a full out ugly cry. But this made me love Meagan and Reed all that much more. Ultimately Reed has to decide if his adrenaline filled lifestyle is worth his happiness whether he thinks he deserves it or not.

This was a fun entertaining ride which was enhanced by the side characters. I loved each and every one of them! And I am looking forward to each and every one of their books! So yeah, Kelsie Leverich, Im going to need you to get on these books ASAP!

Rating:

*This book was provided to me through NetGalley for an honest review, no other compensation was provided.

*This review can also be seen on http://paranormalromancenovel.com .

*And on a side note, I met the lovely Kelsie Leverich at the Naughty Mafia Las Vegas signing and she is a super sweetheart!

Review: Kait Ballenger – Twilight Hunter

Execution Underground Series:  

Book 1:  

Twilight Hunter: Jace McCannon and Frankie Amato

 

 

Expected publication: August 27th 2013

Purchase on Amazon:  Twilight Hunter (The Execution Underground)

Summary:

From Goodreads.com

Hunters of the supernatural, the Execution Underground are an elite group tasked with protecting humanity…but what happens when danger collides with desire?

Jace McCannon has one loyalty: the Execution Underground. Despite his mixed blood, his hatred for the werewolves he hunts is legendary. But in his search for a sadistic killer, Jace finds himself face to face with a stunningly seductive packmaster…and longing for a night with his mortal enemy.

Nothing can stop Frankie Amato from defending her kind–or catching the rogue responsible for killing women in her territory. For that, this alpha female needs Jace’s skills more than she wants to admit. But as their investigation exposes evil truths, need burns into a passion that dare not be fulfilled. For to do so will have deadly consequences for them both…

Review:

Another great book from Kait Ballenger! TWILIGHT HUNTER is a sexy, dark, intriguing, action packed roller coaster ride of emotion and hard hitting action with a twist on my favorite supernatural species thrown in. The Execution Underground is an elite force to take out rogue supernaturals. Jace is the best werewolf hunter on the east coast, but this case is his hardest yet. Women are dying, and dying horrific death, mutilated beyond recognition. It’s been weeks and Jace is still no closer to catching the bastard that is killing these women. He’s hunting when he comes across Frankie. The attraction is instantaneous and fierce, but she’s a werewolf. The one species that he abhors even though he is half wolf himself, a secret he has kept from all of the Execution Underground, except his childhood friend and Demon Hunter David.

Jace is a lost soul with some serious daddy issues. Totally flawed, but good hearted despite himself. He is a total protector even if he doesn’t particularly think of himself that way; he would be the first to admit he can be an a-hole. Despite his many flaws and anger issues you really can’t help but love Jace anyway. As a character he has a lot of growing to do, he’s basically racist against his own kind and kills werewolves pretty much indiscriminately since becoming a hunter. He thinks all were’s are the same until he meets Frankie and he can’t keep his hands or his emotions in check. She has him questioning all of his beliefs. By the end of the book you are helplessly in love with poor Jace and happy to see how much he’s grown as a character.

Frankie is not hard to like, she has her packs best interests in mind and pretty self-sacrificing. She is basically slated to marry a man she doesn’t love because it is expected of her. She actually misses her mating ceremony because Jace took her captive. Jace is the first thing she takes because that’s what she as a person wanted and not what her parents or her pack wanted. For a while she just couldn’t seem to spit out what she really wanted to say, causing man a miss-communications and causing Jace even more hurt to his fragile self-worth when it comes to being loveable. I just wanted to yell at her, just say what you mean woman! But if there is no conflict then they can’t “make up”, so I couldn’t be too mad.

The story is fast paced and as previously mentioned action packed. From beginning to end, something is going on which keeps you captivated and those pages turning. There is no room to get bored. The chemistry between Jace and Frankie is explosive from the beginning, they can certainly steam up the pages and have you fanning yourself off. The side characters of Shane and David were great, I can’t help but look forward to their books. It is looking like David’s will be next and I am really excited for that one! Oh and Damon, damn, I know you had it rough at the end of your novella, but ish do you have to be such an a$$!?! He’s gonna have to have a lot to atone for once he becomes happy again, for now, I’m going to choose to forgive his attitude because I know how is novella SHADOW HUNTER ended and I know he is hurting, but he better make it up to us! I can’t wait to see where this series takes us! I am totally on board and looking forward to IMMORTAL HUNTER in January 2014.

Rating:

*This book was provided to me by the author and no other compensation was provided.

*This review can also be seen on http://paranormalromancenovel.com

Review: Susan Mallery – Three Little Words

Fool’s Gold Series:

Book 13:

Three Little Words: Ford Hendrix and Isabel Carlisle

Purchase on Amazon:  Three Little Words (Fool’s Gold)

Summary:

From Goodreads.com

Isabel Carlisle thinks she’s cursed in the romance department. Her teenage crush, Ford Hendrix, ignored all her letters. Her husband left her for another…man. So Isabel has come home to dust off her passion for fashion and run the family bridal shop until her parents are ready to sell it. Then she’ll pursue her real dreams. At least, that’s the plan, until sexy, charming Ford returns and leaves her feeling fourteen all over again….

Seeing Isabel all grown up hits bodyguard trainer Ford like a sucker punch. Back when heartbreak made him join the military, her sweet letters kept him sane. Now he can’t take his eyes-or his lips-off her. The man who gave up on love has a reason to stay in Fool’s Gold forever-if three little words can convince Isabel to do the same….

Review:

Another hit in the Fools Gold series, I mean really you can’t go wrong with this series when you are looking for something light hearted that will give you a little pick me up. Like the rest of the books it is quirky and humorous. In this one, Ford a Navy Seal is terrified of no one or nothing except his own mother! TO get her off his back he manages to convince Isabel to be his fake girlfriend. Isabel isn’t quite sure how he gets her to convince her to be his pretend girlfriend but here she is doing girlfriend duty. From the start of the arrangement it doesn’t really feel fake to the reader. The chemistry between Isabel and Ford is anything but fake. I like the angle of Isabel writing to him all of those years and a young girls letters becoming his anchor in the midst of war. It’s very sweet! This whole book is sweet. I really enjoyed how the whole book played out.

As an added bonus we also get Consuelas Happily Ever After. Consuela and Kent get almost as much page time as Isabel and Ford, which really picks up the pace of this book. Two books in one, score! Consuela is tough as nails but has always wanted a normal life, but her’s has been anything but. When she meets Kent she is terrified of him and what he makes her feel. There is no way someone as normal as Kent could ever go for a rough around the edges killer like her. Kent is great! He knows that Consuela has done some things she is not proud of, but he never lets that get in the way. He always treats her like a cherished female. He knows she knows at least 50 ways to kill him, but he trusts her with not only his body but his heart as well. We don’t get to know Kent as well as we do Ford, but you have a pretty good picture of him by the end of the book. This is not our first rodeo with Consuelo so we know more about her. It’s good to see her soften a bit, but not too much because that’s just not her. She stays pretty true to her character.

Three Little Words is another great installment in the Fools Gold seriesthat I thoroughly enjoyed! Great job Susan Mallery, we have come to count on your light hearted romances that will give you a good chuckle!

Rating:

*This copy was provided to me through NetGalley for an honest review, no other compensation was provided.

ARC Review: Rebecca Zanetti – Forgotten Sins

Sins Brothers Series:

Book 1:

Forgotten Sins: Shane Dean and Josie Dean

Expected publication: July 2nd 2013

Purchase on Amazon:  Rebecca Zanetti – Forgotten Sins

Summary:

From Goodreads.com

His Secrets Can Destroy Her

From the moment Josie laid eyes on sexy, mysterious Shane Dean, she was in love. Their desire ignited a passionate affair, and within weeks, Shane had slipped a ring on her finger. It seemed her every fantasy was coming true . . . until her new husband disappeared without a trace. Now, two years and one broken heart later, Josie is shocked by the hospital calls: Shane has been found . . . at a crime scene with no memory of how he got there.

Her Love Can Save Him

Shane can’t remember the blue-eyed angel at his bedside—or who he even is—but he knows something isn’t right. His hearing is razor sharp, his physical strength incredible, and the urge to protect Josie overwhelming. For powerful enemies are hunting him, and Josie is the key to discovering why. As Shane struggles to unravel his past, dangerous new truths come to light. Can he protect the only woman he’s ever loved? And can Josie trust a man she thought she knew—one who carries such a deadly secret?

Review:

I think that Ms. Zanetti has another hit on her hands. Here we have an action packed, intriguing, highly entertaining tale about military brothers with a few extras. I have to say I LOVED the brothers! There is something heartbreaking about kids that never get to be kid and I adored that against all odds the brothers banded together and gave only each other their loyalty. Matt is the oldest brother that kept them all together as kids and gave them hope that something else was out there for them, even if they had no idea what it was.

Shane is the second youngest brother, he was in deep cover for his brothers when he is attacked and loses his memory. He doesn’t remember much, be he does remember feelings and he remembers that he loved Josie. From the instant she enters his hospital room and he finds out they have been separated for two years, he knows only something intensely important could have kept him from her for so long and that he has been given a second chance and he is NEVER giving Josie up again. I loved Shane, an over protective alpha male that knows what he wants. He sets his sights on something and does not give up until he obtains it. Right now, his sights are set on Josie and keeping her protected. It seems that he has brought danger right to her door and he is determined to protect to her at all costs. Things get complex pretty quick as the threat to Josie and Shane gets more intense. The body count is increasing and the attempts on Josies life are getting more serious, there may be a threat that Shane didn’t count on and he may need some back up. The more he remembers the more realizes he is not quite normal and maybe leaving Josie is the best thing for her, even if it breaks his heart. After all a broken heart is nothing compared to knowing the one person you ever loved will be safe from your dangerous life.

Josie, I could take or leave. There were times I really liked Josie and then there were times that she annoyed the crap out of me. She was so damn concerned about her accounting job; I mean I get the desire for stability especially when you have a disappearing husband. But trust me when I say there is no job worth my life or the life of anyone I love. If going to my job means I’m am more visible to be kidnapped, raped, murdered, or attacked there is no way I’m going because if I’m dead, I’m dead and my job will no longer matter. Josie didn’t seem to understand that concept and insisted on going back in even though she kept getting attacked there. My a$$ would be long gone, on a leave, thank you very much. At times, she was pretty strong and others whinny, she was so cold and cold I was getting whiplash. At times I could see what Shane saw in her, I mean she is sweet, but sometimes I just didn’t get it. Don’t get me wrong she is not all bad and most of the time she was fine, but I wanted more for Shane since I loved him so much.

Overall, Zanetti spun a wildly entertaining story that I enjoyed from beginning to end. We met Shanes two remaining brothers and they intrigued me just as much as Shane did. I cannot wait for Matt’s story which I believe to be the next book. At times certain phrases got repetitive, enough so that I noticed but it wasn’t too distracting and may get cleaned up in final edits. This book was action both in and out of bed from beginning to end. You can expect to be wildly entertained by super sexy military men with a few special abilities! Enjoy the ride, I know I did!

Rating: 4 Romaticals

*This book was provided through NetGalley for an honest review. No other compensation was provided.

*This review can also be seen on www.paranormalromancenovel.com .

ARC Review: Susan Mallery – Two of a Kind

Fool’s Gold Series:

Book 12:

Two of a Kind: Gideon Boylan and Felicia Swift

Expected publication: June 25th 2013

Purchase on Amazon: Susan Mallery – Two of a Kind (Fools Gold Series)

Summary:

From Goodreads.com

Felicia Swift never dreamed she’d hear a deep, sexy voice from her past in tiny Fool’s Gold, California. The last time Gideon Boylan whispered in her ear was half a world away…on the morning after the hottest night of her life. Her freaky smarts have limited her close friendships, and romance, but she came to Fool’s Gold looking for ordinary. Gorgeous, brooding Gideon is anything but that.

Black Ops taught Gideon that love could be deadly. Now he pretends to fit in while keeping everyone at arm’s length. Felicia wants more than he can give-a home, family, love-but she has a lot to learn about men…and Gideon needs to be the man to teach her.

As these two misfits discover that passion isn’t the only thing they have in common, they just might figure out that two of a kind should never be split apart.

Review:

Definitely one of my favorite books of the series! This book was all about Felicia! It was impossible not to love her. She is quirky, caring, social awkward and just so giving. All she wants is to be normal but her upbringing and her intelligence make that impossible. In Fools Gold she is finally finding her footing. She is making friends that don’t seem to mind that she is the smartest person on the room and that sometimes she goes off on random tangents why over explaining everything. She wants to belong, to find a man to love and to have a family but she doesn’t think that could ever happen for her as long as she remains “abnormal”. Enter Gideon, they had a one night affair in Thailand over four years ago that neither forgot. It was Felicia first time and when she runs into Gideon again, the attraction remains just as strong as it was that night. Gideon and Felicia enter into a deal, he would help her socialize and she would realize that he was not the forever kind of guy.

Gideon was a POW for over two years her was tortured and watched while every other person in his unit died. He was the only one that survived. He came to Fools Gold to live in peace and to heal he never in a million years thought he would run into Felicia, a one night stand he never forgot. Gideon likes his peaceful life, he knows he’s not completely healed and never will be, but he has long since come to terms with that. Since, he is alone he doesn’t really need to worry about the fact that he is not healed impacting anyone but himself. When Felicia enters his life again, she is aware of his history and that he is not a forever kind of guy. He likes Felicia as a person, he likes that she is quirky and not like everyone else. I love that about him. As a character he is not as well developed as Felicia but you still like him as a character. You feel for him, as his past. Two years of constant torture would not make the most social of people. I love how he treats Felicia in the beginning, he kind of drops off in the middle when something unexpected happens but he comes together in the end.

The story like all Susan Mallery novels is fun, endearing and heartwarming. The town of Fools Gold is like a character all on its own and makes for a great “side character”. Susan Mallery has a great sense of humor and knows how to write a light fun read that is sure to make you melt a little. The Susan Mallery formula is still in affect but in this book it’s not quite as noticeable as some of the previous books.

*This copy was provided to me through NetGalley for an honest review. No other compensation was provided.

Rating: 4.5 Romanticals

Review: Aleksandr Voinov – Scorpion

Memory of Scorpions:

Book 1:

Scorpion: Kendras

Purchase on Amazon:  Aleksandr Voinov – Scorpion

Expected publication (re-release): May 27th 2013

Summary:

Never stop fighting.

Kendras is a casualty of war: injured, penniless, and quite possibly the last surviving member of the only family he’s ever had—the elite fighting force known as the Scorpions. When a steel-eyed mercenary offers him medicine and shelter in exchange for submission and a secret task, Kendras has no choice but to accept. He is a Scorpion; he’ll do whatever it takes to survive.

But his true goal is to rebuild the Scorpions. Neither Steel’s possessive nature nor Kendras’s shattered foot can keep him from finding the last of his brothers, or the mysterious leader of the Scorpions, the man who held Kendras’s heart long before Steel tried to take it for himself.

The goal is simple, the situation anything but. To rescue his leader and escape from Steel for good, Kendras must fight through a morass of politics and intrigue where enemies may be allies and even allies have hidden agendas. But Kendras isn’t only fighting for his lost lover and tribe—he soon realizes that nothing less than the birth of an Empire is at stake.

Review:

Sooo…. This is my first truly M/M full length novel. I’ve read M/F/M, one novella in an otherwise M/F anthology and a couple books where there were some M/M interactions but it wasn’t really the main focus. So this was new to me and I don’t really have anything to compare it to besides itself. This book was kind of odd for me, it was still very engaging but I didn’t quite know what to make of it since it is so different from what I am used to. And to be quite honest that was exactly what I needed at the time. I was in a book reading funk and I NEEDED something different, something out of my comfort zone and this book delivered that.

So basically Kendras is a part of an elite fighting unit called the Scorpions. They are a mercenary group but they have a “memory”, basically meaning they have a long history or “memory” and they maintain the original integrity of the unit. The story takes place in a made up land where there are basically three cities that two of the three always seem to be at war at any given time. At the time this tale takes place there was just a huge battle and the side that Kendras was fighting on “won” but he was seriously injured and he does not know what happened to the rest of his squad. He is basically a cripple when we first meet him, this is also how he is when he meets Steel. Kendras has no money, he can’t work because of his foot and has nothing of value to sell. Kendras is well aware of this when Steel approaches him in a bar. Steel takes on Kendras as his lover and wants him for his own mercenary crew. He has a job and he needs someone that looks like Kendras (black with blue eyes).

From what I can tell of this world Male/Male relationships are just as common place as Male/Female relationships; however, with that there is a whole other set of issues. It seems that Male on Male rape is quite prevalent in this world and it is brought up, not in detail, but it is an issue that characters have to deal with. So if you are squeamish on this topic you might wince a few times. The world building overall is pretty decent. I felt like I had a pretty good understanding of the world by the time the story was over. It is a harsh world where war is the main focus. When the book starts we are just coming out of battle and a good chunk of the last part of the book is preparing for battle and a fight. The character building is, not the best. Steel who is kind of a main character, I don’t feel like I knew him at all and didn’t really care about him, but that could be on purpose. The story is from Kendras POV but I don’t really feel like we delved that deep into his character. This book was basically about Kendras struggle to evolve. He was a part of the Scorpions it was all he knew and he was quite content with that. When that was taken away, he didn’t quite know what to do with himself, all his focus was finding survivors and if this was the end of the Scorpions. Even once he found some survivors he struggled with his possible new role within the unit. With as much struggle as the poor man went through I would have thought we would have known him better. And then there were his feelings for the Officer. We never knew why Kendras felt the way he did except for maybe some hero and survivor worship?? As far as I could tell the Officer basically kept himself mostly separate from the unit, so I wish we knew more about why Kendras had this deep love for the Officer. Speaking of love, this book is not very romantical. Is there a possible relationship by the end of the book, yes… But is there much romance along the way? Not really. I was ok with this as the book as a whole didn’t really have a romantical setting. I still really enjoyed the story and it kept me engaged the entire time, it was pretty interesting; however, it is definitely not a romance that I am used to. If you can even consider this book in the “romance” genre.

Overall, I enjoyed this book. It took me out of my norm and I enjoyed that. Am I going to be all gung ho on the M/M genre now, probably not, but I will probably read the second book in this series when it comes out. It was an interesting world and I liked the story telling overall. I am curious to see where this series goes.

Rating: 4 Romanticals

*A copy was provided to me through NetGalley for an honest review. No other compensation was provided.

Review: Sylvia Day – A Passion for Him

Georgian Series:

Book 3:

A Passion for Him: Amelia Benbridge and Colin Mitchell

Purchase on Amazon: Sylvia Day – A Passion For Him

Summary:

From Goodreads.com

Miss Amelia Benbridge is ready to leave behind a past filled with heartbreak for a sensible marriage. Until temptation itself comes calling, with an invitation to seduction…

She Loved and Lost Him Once…

Amelia Benbridge and the Earl of Ware are the most anticipated match of the Season. Lord Ware is handsome, wealthy, and kind, and he understands that her love will always belong to her childhood sweetheart, Colin. When Colin died, Amelia believed she would never feel such passion again. But her primal reaction to the brooding stranger who approaches her at a masquerade, coaxing her into a moonlit minuet and a single, sensual kiss, proves otherwise…
Colin Mitchell knew a pairing between a peer’s daughter and a gypsy stable boy was impossible. Amelia’s mistaken belief in his demise afforded him the opportunity to return to her as a man of means. But time has slipped through his fingers. She is preparing to wed another, and danger prevents him from revealing the truth. Colin can only bid her a secret farewell, but he underestimates her determination to unmask her phantom admirer. A forbidden kiss leads to her ardent pursuit and a soul-scorching affair. Amelia is perfectly attuned to his every desire, every thought—and hungry for stability he can’t offer her. For deception lies at the heart of their love, waiting to drive them apart once again…

Review:

I have really enjoyed everything that I have read by Sylvia Day and this book is no exception. Day has a way of really absorbing you into the story whatever it may be. I’m not a huge fan of historicals, that can be hit and miss with me, but this one was a definite hit. I loved the characters, to the forbidden childhood love, to the reunited love. I’m a sucker for reunites! Especially if that love was forbidden at one time.

Amelia is saucy as hell! I quite enjoyed her as a character, she was free spirited and spoke her mind. In the era that this book takes place that is not a characteristic that one would find from a Lady, but Amelia doesn’t care. She doesn’t live her life for others, which is a trait I always admire. She is worried that with her passionate nature that she will turn out like her murderous father, after all his blood does flow through her veins. With that thought in mind she is determined to marry her childhood friend Lord Ware. He is stable and they can talk about anything and everything. He is handsome and she loves him, but she is not in love with him. This is okay with both of them, Lord Ware has no desire to get his heart caught up in matters of the heart and Amelia has long since given her heart away and has never gotten it back. All of that changes when she meets a masked stranger and suddenly she is experiencing feelings she hasn’t felt in years. Amelia embraces these feelings, she knows that if without love is not really a life at all. She is a bit reckless in her pursuit but you have to admire a woman that goes after what she really wants. But that pursuit can have dire consequences.

Colin is a hot and sexy character; he is confident and just exudes sex appeal. I think it is his wild gypsy blood! Why are there not more gypsy characters? I think there needs to be, such an underutilized ethnicity, its exotic, fun and sexy as hell. For years he has been doing everything he can to make it so he can return to his Amelia. I love his dedication to his love! He has no problem expressing his love to Amelia, I’m so used to the man that you practically have to drag the emotion out of him, but with Colin he feels it freely! It’s kind of a breath of fresh air. Even though Colin had done everything in his power to make sure it would be safe for him to come back to court Amelia, on his last night in France all goes to hell and he is now hunted. It is that in mind that keeps Colin from courting Amelia properly and he wears a mask, he just means to see her once, but he didn’t expect his headstrong Amelia to pursue him. It is that pursuit that now her life is in jeopardy as much as his is, and if he can’t find the one that wants him dead, everything he has done will be all for not.

This is a great story that is hot ans sexy. The characters are alive and vibrant. The story is fast paced and not a bit boring. There is intrigue, mystery and plenty else to keep you entertained for the duration. This is the third book in the series, but it can be read on its own. There are references to Amelia’s sister that has me very intrigued and making me want to go back to read her book. Maria’s story seems like it would be very interesting! She is referred to the most dangerous woman in England and her husband is a pirate! Hell Yeah, I’m about it. Lol. Amelia does not fall far from that apple tree as her sister has taught her everything she knows. I definitely enjoyed this book and would recommend it to others, especially those who enjoy a good historical.

I was provided with a copy of this book through NetGalley for an honest review. No other compensation was provided.

Rating: 4 Romanticals

Review: Jay Crownover – Rule

Rule Series:

Book 1:

Rule: Rule Archer and Shaw Landon

Purchase on Amazon: Jay Crownover – Rule

Summary:

From Goodreads.com

I had loved Rule Archer since the first moment I ever laid eyes on him. He was everything I shouldn’t want and the only person I went out of my way to not try and please. He only saw me as a brat, and an entitled, stuck up princess but worse than that all he saw when he looked at me was his deceased twin’s girl. It broke my heart because as much as I had loved Remy Archer there was never anything romantic between us and no matter how hard I tried to convince myself that loving Rule was a terrible idea, my poor heart just wouldn’t listen. We tolerated each other, barely and had forged an uneasy alliance until one night I had too much to drink and changed the way we were forever. Suddenly life long secrets were no longer hidden and the one thing I always wanted for myself seemed obtainable as long as I was willing to go through hell to hold onto it.

Shaw Landon was a class act and I had no idea what to do with her. She was tied to my family, tied to the person that was my other half so I tolerated her and her haughty attitude when I didn’t have any other choice. What I didn’t know was that a short skirt and too many cocktails on her birthday was going to change my outlook on her for the rest of my life. Some people thought I hid behind all my tattoos and piercings, that I tried to distance myself from my dead twin, Shaw saw through it all and wasn’t scared of what was underneath. We weren’t supposed to be together, weren’t supposed to be anything but uncomfortable acquaintances but that all changed in the blink of an eye. Now I had to figure out just how a girl like her and a guy like me were supposed to be in love without destroying each other. Add in her custom made ex and two disapproving sets of parents and the whole situation sounded like it was more trouble then it was worth.

Recommended for mature readers due to sexual content, language and drinking.

Review:

Ok, first things first, I have to mention the editing of this book. I am not usually an editing snob (I know my own is not always the best) and it usually doesn’t bother me much because it doesn’t really pertain to the story itself but this time it has to be discussed. This is quite possibly without a doubt the worst edited book I have EVER read. There has to be some sort of spelling or grammatical error on every single page. The editing was so bad it distracted me from the actual story which is quite good. I had to go back and reread sentences with the correct sentence structure in my head just to make sure I understood it correctly. I swear I don’t think anyone read over this book for any editing. However, that being said, I did read on the authors blog a few days ago that she has sent this book off for professional editing so hopefully this is mote point in a week or two. And the book will come back from editing all shiny and new and properly edited.  ***Update: It’s been edited and updated on amazon. So go forth and purchase!***

Ok, editing rant over. So I picked this book up pretty much because of the cover, I mean come on look at the hottie on the cover and top of that it was about a tattoo artist. I do have a thing for bad boys, specifically musicians and tattoo artists. I was a bit worried about another “opposites attract” story and had a feeling this book would be a lot like ROCK ME by Cherrie Lynn. I was not incorrect in that assumption. There are a lot of similarities to ROCK ME, especially due to the fact once again we have a bad boy tattoo artist and a good girl that always tries to please her parents and struggles with that. However, the stories are a bit different so this isn’t exactly like ROCK ME but similar.

Overall the story was good, it was fantastic but it was pretty good. I thought I would feel the same about Shaw that I did about Candace in ROCK ME which was EH but surprisingly enough I ended up liking Shaw a lot more than I expected. Shaw at first wasn’t willing to stand up to her parents but she quickly found a backbone and I liked that about her. She also knew her worth and would not let Rule treat her like his “groupies” which I liked about her. She was also a very loyal friend which I always like in a character. Now, Rule is a tool. Seriously, he’s kinda a douche. Well at least in the beginning he is, he grows as a character and loses some of his douchiness. By the end of the book I liked Rule, I didn’t LOVE Rule, bit he kind of grew on me. In ROCK ME we all LOVED Brain from the get-go, now he is a character that you lust after, always. I was expecting Rule to be more like Brain, but alas he wasn’t. Now Rule’s friends Nash and Jet, I could get down with. I liked them more than I did Rule, especially Nash. Jet is still an enigma but his book is next so I am sure we will find out a whole lot more about him. Along with Rule’s friends we have Shaw’s friend (Sorry I’m drawing a blank on her name right now) who I also really enjoyed as a character. I can’t wait to get to her story as well.

Despite the fact that this story was far from original I still really enjoyed it and the characters. The story does pull you in, it doesn’t grip you and not let you go but you spend a very enjoyable few hours in this world. Most of the story I saw coming from a mile away including Remy’s big secret that is hinted about and much of the story line we have seen from various other books just put together in a different way or order, but I find this is pretty common in Contemporary. This series has a lot of potential and I will definitely pick up the next book in the series whenever it may come out, which according to the author’s blog she is hoping to be in May, but that may change if she gets a contract. I do encourage any of those who do want to read this book to wait until it is properly edited which should be very soon. I also hope as someone who already purchased the book that I automatically get the revised edition. I would like to re-read the book without all of the errors.

Rating: 3.75 Romanticals

(I had to knock off some because of the editing because it did distract me and took away from the enjoyment of the story.)

Review: Kristen Ashley – Mystery Man

Dream Man Series:

Book 1:

Mystery Man: Cabe “Hawk” Delgado and Gwendolyn Kid

 

 

Purchase on Amazon: Kristen Ashley – Mystery Man (Dream Man)

Summary:

From Goodreads.com

While drinking cosmopolitans, Gwendolyn Kidd meets the man of her dreams. Then she takes him home. Then she wakes up alone. But her fear that she lost her dream man turns into a relationship with a mystery man when, night after night in the dead of night, he comes back for more. Hoping it will blossom into something real, she lets him.

But she doesn’t even know his name.

Gwen’s struggling with the decision to end their crazy non-relationship when her sister-from-hell, Ginger’s best friend pays a visit and warns Gwen that if she and her sister don’t get smart, they’ll both get d-e-a-d, dead. Gwen has no clue what’s going on but she’s used to Ginger’s antics and decides to lay the problem on her sister’s biker boyfriend’s doorstep. Bad choice. She hits the Denver Underground radar with a big, loud ping.

This means Gwen’s Mystery Man, Cabe “Hawk” Delgado has to step in to keep her safe. But when Hawk gets a dose of Gwen in the daylight, he makes the decision that he finally wants real with Gwen. However when Gwen gets a dose of badass, bossy, straight-talker Hawk in the daylight, she decides she’s done.

Thus begins the head-to-head of the Commando vs. Cosmo Girl as Hawk woos Gwen in his own unique way, Gwen survives firebombs, drive-bys, kidnappings, hot pursuits by biker hotties and gorgeous police detectives and discovers the heartbreaking reason why Hawk kept her at arm’s length.

And as all this happens, Gwen finds that her sister’s troubles are serious trouble and she must decide who to keep alive: her sister-from-hell or the man of her dreams.

Review:

When I saw this title come up on NetGalley I knew I had to snap it up and see what all the hype was about. The fourth book of this series Motorcycle Man was up for Best Romance of 2012 so I just had to see where it all started it. I am so incredibly glad I requested this title. I picked this book up and within the first few pages I was in love! I remained in love until the very end, I did not put this book down unless it was for bathroom breaks or that silly thing called sleep. Although I had to admit I was up until 6 am reading because I could not stop. Every time I thought I got to a stopping point, I wasn’t, I had to force myself to stop when I saw my clock!

Some might find that Gwen was having a non-relationship with a man for a year and half and didn’t even know his name a bit off putting, but worry not my friends, it is done in a way that is sexy and not a skeevy, in fact it’s pretty damn hot. Gwen as a character is too damn feisty and sassy to blame this lapse in judgment on her. Every now and then a girl has to live out a fantasy! And when you meet Hawk you will understand completely! LOL. Gwen had me cracking up the entire book! She is such a smart ass with a wonderful sense of humor. There are so many quotable lines in this book. I swear I was highlighting all the damn time. Gwen gives as good as she gets. She can handle her own against all of the alpha males in her life and all of the sudden they are all around her and all of them hot! Dispute the immense chaos that is surrounding her, she seems to handle her ish pretty well. She does not become a sniveling mess who just wants to hide out. She keeps her head and for the most part doesn’t make any of those incredibly stupid mistakes that the heroine is always doing in life or death situations. She for the most part listens to the experts and I silently cheer good girl! Gwen is also a compassionate woman, when someone asks her to name a few things that if she could have if there were no limits most of what she lists is for other people. I have to admit that tugged at my heart a bit. In her interactions with Hawk she can be a bit self centered but she almost immediately feels bad and realizes that she is F’ing up and works to fix it. She doesn’t keep a righteous opinion of herself.

Cabe “Hawk” Delgado is our Alpha of all Alphas. In a group of Alpha like men he stands on top. His machismo practically pours off of the page and I love it! I love Machismo in a man. He is ex-army and current something dangerous. He has a “Base” and his men to do his bidding. One of my favorite parts of this book is the epilogue which is in Hawks voice and it is so heartwarming. Our Alpha Hawk keeps our Gwen as safe as you can make a hardheaded refuses to stop living her life sort of female. He is more than enough to keep our Gwen in line which is no easy task! The firework explode between Hawk and Gwen, Hawk is determined to keep Gwen after a year and a half of waste. Finally he has seen what he has been missing. Cabe has a past that has kept him from getting close to any woman for a long time. But when he goes toe to toe with Gwen he realizes that may have been a mistake. When he makes a mistake he works to rectify it. And now he is working on Gwen and she’s not being very cooperative. Haha As with most Alpha males, Hawk protects what is his and he considers Gwen as his so he takes any and all measures to make sure she is as safe as he can make her, but her heart is not safe from him even as she does everything she can to protect herself and to keep Cabe out. He is just as determined to get in!

This book is pretty long so we have a lot of time to get to know our characters and I loved all of them. This book is full of a supporting cast that adds to the overall feel and humor of the book. Gwens parents are utterly loveable, her friends are supportive and each has their own distinct personalities. You come to care for them almost as much as Gwen and Hawk. Our other Alpha males are sexy and you almost can’t pick which one you like the most, which is ok because you don’t have too. They each have a book as well. Whoot Whoot. One of which I am going to go read now! I am really excited to see where this series takes us!

Hasta!

*Book was provided through NetGalley for an honest review. No other compensation was given.

Rating:

5 Romaticals