ARC Mini- Review: An Inconvenient Earl (A Royal Match #4)

An Inconvenient Earl (A Royal Match #4)

Julia London

Blurb:

Bold. Beautiful. Beguiling.

It’s been over a year since Emma Clark’s no-good husband left on an expedition. The Countess of Dearborn has played the abandoned wife, but people are beginning to presume the earl is dead, which doesn't suit Emma at all. Emma likes being head of household in Albert’s absence and does her best to keep his family believing he is alive and well. She’s thirty years old and finally having some fun. If the earl is in fact dead, his family is waiting in the wings to swoop in and throw Emma out, leaving her destitute.

Then along comes Luka Olivien, the Weslorian Earl of Marlaine. He’s traveled all the way from Egypt, duty bound to return to the countess her deceased husband’s precious pocket watch—only to discover she doesn’t know he’s dead… Or does she? It’s hard to tell. Luka catches glimpses of the desperate vulnerability beneath the party girl exterior and can’t help being drawn into the beguiling countess’s ruse.

Themes:  Historical

Rating: 3.5 stars

Heat Rating: 

Review:

I have to preface this review by saying that I have been a devoted fan of all of Julia London’s historical romance novels since the very first one that I picked up years ago and I despite not being a fan of her contemporary novels I have never let them color my devotion to her historical work.  That said I really just could not get into this story until about the last five chapters and I was very sad about that. Emma Clark’s ass of a husband has finally done her the favor of dropping dead while on expedition in Egypt and she is able to live her life freely and enjoy herself for once.  But when the handsome Luke Olivien, Earl of Marlaine in Wesloria, arrives intent on sharing the news of her husband’s death and passing on an heirloom before returning onto his travels, Emma is just as determined to put him off.  Soon the two of them are involved in a long (and drawn out) game of cat-and-mouse that soon turns to something much more as they spend time together.  As the couple begin to develop feeling for one another, their game begins to have much further-reaching consequences as Emma and Luka both realize they can’t live in their bubble forever and time must go forward, and they might not be able to do so together. While the premise of this story is one that could have made for an interesting novella, the length of the story just made the story entirely too drawn out and boring in the middle for my tastes.  I liked Luka very much, despite him being a bit too led by his intrigue with Emma at times, but otherwise he was a strong, sweet, and interesting character.  Emma was another story; I understand she had it hard with her husband in the beginning and needed to live it up a little bit, but honestly she began to be a little bit too frivolous and vapid for me during the middle of the story.  I wanted to push her to just grow the hell up and realize there were more important things in the world she should be focusing on, so I was glad that she finally did that in the last 5 or 6 chapters when she was forced out of her little world of insignificant to face the challenges so many others have to face.  I think I could have really enjoyed this story had it been about 10-15 chapters shorter with those removed from the middle, but other than that, Luka was a great character, it was nice to see so many of the previous couples that are from the interwoven series that le to this one, and when Emma finally came to her senses she was a pretty decent character too.  I am not sure if this series is to continue but hopefully if it does, the next couple will either have a shorter story, or one with a deeper more developed plot line. I hope others find more entertainment with the story, but it definitely wasn’t for me. Still well written and enjoyable, but not up to my usual expectations of a London historical romance.

*eARC provided by author (via NetGalley) for the purpose of an honest and unbiased review.  No compensation was provided.

ARC Review: Love Grudge

Love Grudge 

Chantal Fernando

Blurb:

Their love will ignite a war in this Romeo and Juliet retelling from gripping New York Times bestselling author Chantal Fernando.

Romeo

I was born to rule the Devils MC. Every decision, every move I made was to further that goal—until I met Julianna. Falling in love with the granddaughter of the man who ripped our club apart was not in the cards, especially not now, when it’s finally time for me to take over as president. Duty to the MC comes first, but that battle cry feels empty when it means giving up the woman I love.

Julianna

My greatest sin was being born a woman. I’ve proven my worthiness in spades, but my father still won’t let me lead the Angels MC on my own. I’m nothing but his pawn, to be sold off to the successor of his choice. He wants me to fall in line, give up Romeo and keep the peace, but my loyalty comes with a price.

I’ll fight for what I want, even if it means going to war.

Themes:  Contemporary, MC

Rating: 4 stars

Heat Rating:  

Review:

I have been a fan of Chantal Fernando and her sexy and intense MC series for a while now, going back and forth catching up as I came into the series later into later in their inception, but when I found out there was a new story coming I couldn’t wait.  I didn’t realize that it wasn’t connected to any of the existing series at first, but that didn’t stop me from wanting to dive right in and experience something new with Chantal. This story is a remaking of the classic Romeo and Juliet, but with a much more satisfying ending and a much more sensual storyline that will keep you interested and glued to your seat.   Romeo is the crowned Prince of the Devils MC, born to the lead the club and ready to ascend to the thrown any day now when his father steps down, but he never realized that the greatest challenge to his rule would be his heart.  Julianna is the crowned Princess of the Angels MC, once members of the Devils but forced to split from them and now dangerous rivals, and while she has been trained to rule the Angels, she is forced to submit to the men of her club, but when she meets Romeo her world changes forever.  Despite the fact they know they are playing a dangerous game Romeo and Julianna are unable to resist the pull to one another and soon they find there is nothing in this world more important that finding a way to be together and the love they have found with one another. But enemies are determined to keep them apart if they can’t find allies and overcome the danger lurking around every corner determined to end their epic love story once and for all. I truly loved this story from beginning to ending, never quite knowing how Chantal was going to find a way for her lovers to pull their HEA out of the mess they’d made for themselves.  Julianna was an interesting, strong, sassy, and amazing character; she was obviously made to be a queen, one that rules her people, not just one that sits by her man’s side as he ruled, and she was not going to let anything stop her from taking the reins.  At every turn someone was trying to thwart her and put her into “her place” but she never let that stop her from fighting to do what needed to be done.  Romeo was also a wonderful character, sweet and loving to his woman, deadly and badass to his enemies, and strong and stubborn when he needed to lead his men into war.  So many times, I was afraid he would give up and walk away like so many men today would have, but he should the true strength of his love and backbone by standing up for his woman and finding a way to give her not only what she needed to survive but to thrive and for them to have their lives together.  The passion between these two was off the charts from the very beginning and even when they were simply fighting never failed to spark, and I can see that being a backbone of heir relationship for the rest of their lives.  I would love to see more in this world in the future for sure, but overall, this was a great story and definitely a fun and interesting take on Shakespeare famous love story by Chantal Fernando that every MC lover should pick up.

*eARC provided by author for the purpose of an honest and unbiased review.  No compensation was provided.

ARC Review: Finding the Road to Us (The Wilder Brothers #6)

Finding the Road to Us (The Wilder Brothers #6)

Carrie Ann Ryan

Blurb:

I was ready to say, ‘I do’, then my fiancé left me at the altar.

Broken and embarrassed, Trace and Elliot helped me run away—ditching my wedding dress in the process.

When I come back to the Wilder Retreat to show the world I’m no longer hurting, I know I must ignore my traitorous needs when it comes to these two men.

Because my body wants them both.

And my soul craves them just as much.

I know I can’t choose, and part of me asks why I should.

Only when we decide to take that chance and share everything, the danger from our pasts refuses to let our choice stand.

With one kiss, one dance into temptation, we could lose everything.

Including our lives.

Themes:  Menage, Contemporary

Rating: 4 stars

Heat Rating:  

Review:

The last of the main Wilder siblings have found their loves in this beautiful story of healing and second chances by Carrie Ann Ryan.  I have been a fan of this series and looked forward to it since we first met the Wilders when Eliza  Wilder fell in love with one of the crazy Montgomery bunch. This series has truly been one the most painful to watch as each of the traumatized and broken Wilder men has had to work through their issues in order to allow their hearts to open to the women that came into their lives.  I was dying for this final story as the youngest Wilder, Elliot, has always seemed the most broken despite the cheerful face he puts on for his family. The story kicks off immediately with a story of heartbreak for Sidney and you wonder just how these three lovers are going to find their way into a loving triad and their HEA, but as always Carrie Ann finds a way and shows us that love truly can overcome anything and will lead to healing and happiness. I am looking forward to the spinoff series as the Wilder cousins finds their own versions of happiness and healing and join their cousins on the Wilder Winery and Retreat, rebuilding and making their family stronger and better.

Trace Pritchett has become one of the Wilder team since his client and friend Bethany brought him into the fold by marrying one of the wilder men, but the more time he spends with the youngest wilder, Elliot, the more he questions his ability to just remain his friend. Elliot wants Trace, but he doesn’t believe Trace looks at him that way, despite their connection and the moments they share, especially  after Trace literally saves his life.  When they work together to help jilted-bride Sidney Flowers to escape the trauma of her marriage, keeping her sanity intact, neither man imagined that kindness would forever change the path of their lives.  But when Sidney comes back into their world a year later, neither man is willing to give up the chance to have in their lives, or their beds, so they embark on the crazy plan to have a relationship between the three of them—if they can convince the sexy florist to join them.  Sidney is ready to completely change her life, but being with two gorgeous men and developing feelings might just be more than she planned for. Can love to develop between three broken and battered souls in order to heal their hearts, of will their pasts and fears tear them apart?

I really enjoyed finally getting to know Trace and Elliot, learning their backstories, and of course meeting Sidney, but I would have love it to be a bit longer so we could enjoy more relationship building between them, as it seemed a bit abrupt at times.  That said, Elliot’s story was truly heartbreaking, learning about what he dealt with in the military and why he finally decided it was time to get out when he did, shows why despite always seeming so cheerful it was sometimes obvious that he was unhappy.  He was such a strong character despite his fears and I was glad that he was able to work through he past so that he could open his heart and enjoy the chance at love.  Sometimes we forget that the blush of first love isn’t always meant to be the lasting love with think when it is ripped from us with no closure, leaving us with a gilded view of it and no way to recognize the real thing when it comes around.  Trace on the other hand was a much older and wiser man and when he finally decided to stop trying to please others with dumb choices, he knew he wanted Elliot and went for it.  I loved seeing him leading the charge and making sure Elliot and Sidney had all the emotional support they needed as they began their relationship.  He was the backbone of their love and despite having his own issues, got the strength he needed from being their core.  He was brave, sweet, loving, and always just want they need to be stronger together.  Sidney was the type of woman that sometimes makes me crazy; in the beginning it seemed she was settling, taking a husband that wasn’t really good enough for her and caving again and again to pressure from her family.  But as she learned to stand on her own, finding her strength and no longer letting others’ opinions lead her choices, I began to really like her.  She was the perfect third for Trace and Elliot—sweet, loving, support, kind, and sassy when need be.  Together the three of them really were the perfect recipe for a lasting and strong love.

This story was one I had been looking forward to a while and Find the Road to Us is one of those stories that will stick with you for a while. Trace, Elliot, and Sidney are all character in need of something in order to take their battered hearts and put them back together, and each of them has something crucial to bring to their relationship.  Trace was the titanium core of power that will hold the three of them together through anything that comes at them, even as he needs the love and sweetness of the others.  Sidney is the sassy sweetness to remind them their lives aren’t always about fighting for their place in the world, but can sometimes just be about being together and finding time to enjoy their lives.  Elliot is the glue that binds them together, giving them strength and staying intensity so they never lose one another.  Their passion and connection are undeniable whether it is all three of them together, or they are split off into couples, and it is amazing to witness from the beginning.  I loved this story from beginning to end, and really my only gripe was I wish it had been a bit longer so we could have enjoyed more of seeing them building their relationship and living day-to-day.  I am looking forward to the next story in the series, when Ridge and the Wilder Cousins will be joining the scene and getting their own stories.  Carrie Ann Ryan has never once let me down as she gives us amazing stories of loss, love, salvation, and passion, and this story is just another example of her mastery of the written word.

*eARC provided by author for the purpose of an honest and unbiased review.  No compensation was provided.

ARC Mini-Review: Dragon Frost (Dragon Kings #6.5)

Dragon Frost (Dragon Kings #6.5)

Donna Grant

Blurb:

The holiday season is Rhi’s favorite time of year, which means Con loves it, too. Except they’re on Zora, where there are no traditions—and beginning one could be hazardous. Finding the lost dragons should’ve given everyone peace. Instead, they’re facing powerful enemies at every turn. Despite the danger, the King of Dragon Kings knows his mate longs to have their space dripping with holiday decorations and gifts piled under the tree, and he’s going to do his best to give it to her and make sure they have time to celebrate the season and their love.

And perhaps a surprise or two.

Themes:  Holiday Novella, Paranormal

Rating: 4 stars

Heat Rating: 

Review:

Our favorite couple returns for a quick and sweetly romantic holiday novella in Donna Grant’s outstanding Dragon King’s series.  For longtime fans, this is a small gift from one of our favorite authors and a chance to reconnect with our beloved Rhi and Constantine as they take a romantic holiday getaway and a much needed reset on their relationship.  We all know that sometimes the rigors of life and the stress of just living such a demanding can put stressors on a relationship and taking the time to remind ourselves of the love and devotion of our partnership is crucial to a happy relationship. This year so much has been going on for Rhi and Con, ever since they learned of their adult twins’ existence, the continuation of the dragons, and the trouble on their home world of Zora, but their love continues to shine.  This year Con wants to give his mate something she really needs, a break to celebrate the beauty of the winter season and a chance for them to just breathe and be together.  A trip away from all their worries, to just be together is just what they both need and the beauty of recommitting their love couldn’t be more perfect for Rhi.  Rhi knows that Con has never stopped loving her, but the strength of his worries has been weighing on her as well, so the chance to just enjoy her mate and relax is the most beautiful gift he could give her this year, but she has an even more beautiful gift for him, one that will give them both the greatest job they could ever experience together, one they were robbed of before and will cherish forever.  I loved every moment of this sweet, sexy, and loving holiday filled story.  Rhi and Con are always so beauftil together that is could bring you to tears.  There love is truly epic, but the moment when they are just quiet together you could forget that they are millennia old beings filled with magic and see them truly as just lovers indulging in time together to be one.  I love how Donna Grant reminds us that no matter how powerful a being is, the strongest power in the universe will always be love and nothing beats it.  Can’t wait for the next story in the series and to see more of Rhi and Con and their beautiful family.

*eARC provided by the publisher (via NetGalley) for the purpose of an honest and unbiased review.  No compensation was provided.

ARC Review: Just One Tease (The Dirty Dares #5)

Just One Tease (The Dirty Dares #5)

Carly Phillips

Blurb:

He’s the last single Dare sibling standing.

She’s his lost love who disappeared.

Now she’s back, bringing secrets and danger.

Hadley Stevens is on the run with her younger sister—again—but this time, she’s in control. Zach Dare might hate her, but she knows he’d never turn away someone in need. He’s the only man she trusts. The man she’s never gotten over. Even if she left him without a word.

Zach never expected the girl he once loved to walk into his bar. The last time he saw her, he’d dropped her off after school and promised to pick her up for prom. Except she disappeared.

Now, she’s back with a new name, but the same doe eyes and pouty lips, and she’s asking for the help he would have gladly given her all those years ago.

Zach agrees to protect them, but he refuses to fall for Hadley again. But late nights working side by side give them a tempting glimpse at the life they could have had…and all the reasons he loved her come flooding back.

He’ll have to keep her safe.

Before he can convince her to stay.

Themes:  Contemporary, Series Finale

Rating: 4.25 stars

Heat Rating:  

Review:

The final Dirty Dare sibling has finally found their love and mate in this finale by Carly Phillips, but don’t worry we have more coming in this amazing family and a fun spinoff as Zach’s sexy partner Remy and his family get their own series.  Carly’s Dare family has intrigued readers for many years now, but we are looking forward to the Sterling family for sure while the last set of Dare siblings has a chance to grow up.  This story is one that we have really looked forward to, getting hints from Zach as he watched his siblings find and fall in love and learned bits and pieces of his story, but we never realized just how heart-wrenching it was going to be for him and his girl.  I enjoyed this story, the emotional turmoil, the family connections, the drama, and the second chance at love for two people who so badly deserved to find one another again.  If you are looking for a romantic and stormy tale of two people who have been hurt and lost in their lives but finally find each other again, Carly’s Just One Tease, will fulfill every need and give you the HEA you need on a cold November night.

Hadley Stevens is once again running for her life, this time with her teenage sister in tow, and she finds herself heading into the arms of the one man she never imagined she would ever see again, but who can offer her the safety and security they both need so badly.  Zach Dare once loved Hadley—who he knew as Mia—with all his heart, but when she disappeared from his life suddenly, leaving him with a hole in his heart, he built a wall around himself and having her back asking for help only makes him want to reinforce those walls. While his friends and family seem more than willing to embrace both Hadley and her sister, Zach is more resistant to letting her back into his life, despite knowing she is in danger and needing to protect her, but he could never turn away a damsel in distress, much less one that once meant the world to him.  The more time they spend together, the more they both remember the love and passion that once made them everything to one another, and the deeper their hearts become connected again.  They both know that even if Hadley and her sister find a way out of the danger surrounding them, Hadley has to return to her life, but Zach is determined that he will fight for her and them, even if it means losing everything again. 

Hadley was a wonderful character, one that tugged at your heart from the very beginning and you could see being your best friend.  She was witty and smart, always having a backup plan and knowing that she had to be prepared to protect her sister in case her idiot father messed up again.  She has worked hard to make something of herself and make sure that her sister has a chance at a normal life, even though it cost her the love of hers, and she is determined to do whatever it takes for her sister to continue to have that normal.   She gives her all in everything she does, be it in her profession, caring for her sister, or giving her heart and body to the man she loves again, showing him that she never really stopped wanting or loving him.  Hadley’s life has been tragic, but she won’t let it stop her from grabbing any happiness she can when she has the chance to have it and embracing any chance with Zach that he will let her have.  Zach was a little bit of an ass, spoiling for a fight, at the beginning of their story, but once he finally released the chip on his shoulder and allowed Hadley to tell her side of their story, his true loving and caring nature had a chance to come out.  He is such a good guy, sweet, and loving while still being strong and alpha, that you just want to grab him and never let him go.  He is obviously smart as all get out, compassionate, thoughtful, and tender with his family (especially the women) as well.  I especially loved seeing him interacting with his sisters-in-law and nieces, but his whole family obviously means the world to him and he will be a great father and I can’t wait to see him in future novels as he and Hadley grow their own family. Once he opened his heart again, he truly was the perfect man and he gave Hadley exactly the love and forgiveness she needed to remind her why they are the perfect couple. 

Just One Tease might be the ending to the Dirty Dares, but it is just the beginning for Hadley and Zach, offering them the forgiveness and second chance at love that they always deserved and the chance for a life they should have had from the beginning.  Zach is the Dare sibling who has been the most mysterious and canny, but we finally learn all of his past and get to see that he has more layers than we ever imagined.  He is sexy, smart, caring, tender, and passionate and truly the perfect match for Hadley once he learns to let go of the pain of their shared past.  Hadley has had so many heartbreaks but has stood strong against the pain and heartbreak and finally takes a chance on the man she loved and lost when she needs help for her sister and herself.  Her pain is nothing compared to the need she feels for Zach and the need to protect her sister, but she never imagined he would truly give her the forgiveness she wanted or the chance to have him in her heart again.  I loved the passion and fire between these two and it truly was spectacular to see these two fall into one another and find their way back to love.  I am dying for the next series Carly plans to release, revolving around Remy Sterling—Zach’s partner—and his large and crazy family, and I imagine that series will be just as awesome as all the Dare series.  Carly, as always, finds a way to end a series with a bang and shows us that two people truly can be made for one another, even if they are separated by year, miles, and circumstances, because nothing can truly keep love apart if it is meant to be.  Well played Carly, well played.

*eARC provided by author for the purpose of an honest and unbiased review.  No compensation was provided.

ARC Mini Review: Naughty and Nice (Italian Stallions #5.5)

Naughty and Nice  (Italian Stallions #5.5)

Mari Carr

Blurb:

If there’s one thing Liza excels at it’s making bad decisions. Which is why she knew it was stupid to invite the guy she’d just started dating to the gala she was hosting. When he gets overly familiar, she asks him to leave. He refuses…

Until sinfully sexy billionaire, Matt Russo, intervenes, leading to Liza’s worst decision ever. Because a holiday hook-up with Matt, her family’s enemy, would definitely land her on the naughty list for life.

If Matt’s past has taught him anything, it’s that true love doesn’t exist. Then he spies Liza—the only threat to his simple existence—across the hotel ballroom. A slow dance leads to a heated embrace that ends in his hotel room. And for the first time ever, he imagines a very different future for himself.

Unfortunately, it’s one he can never have.

Themes:  Erotica, Holiday

Rating: 4 stars

Heat Rating: 

Review:

 I love a good erotic holiday romance, and what makes it even better is when the heat has been building between the characters for several novels and we know that the fire is about to explode.  Mari Carr has been giving us glimpses of the fireworks to come between Matt Russo and Liza Moretti for a long time now, and we get just a little glimpse into this sexy holiday romance.  Naughty and Nice is the story of Matt and Liza finally giving into the tension and need they’ve been fighting in a big way with one night of passion.  Neither of these two think it is a good idea to give in, but neither of them can resist the other any longer and finding the connection to one another is more than they can fight anymore.  Losing themselves in one another for one heated, sexy, and fantastic night is just what the doctor ordered to allow them to get over the pull they’ve been fighting, but when they unleash their hidden desires, they quickly understand they’ve made a big mistake and they are in way over their heads.  Matt has never allowed his lust and dark needs free reign with another woman the way he does with Liza and she gives him everything he needs, meeting him and his needs every step of the way.  Liza never saw herself as a submissive woman, but Matt’s stormy eyes and sexy voice show her that she can let herself go and give over her needs and he will give her everything she needs.  But in the light of day, can they accept the ties they have forged and give the bond between them a chance even with everything that stands between them? Or will they have to find a way to resist one another again and walk away forever? I am dying to find out in their full-length novel coming soon (Tempted and Taken) and I know that Mari will make every moment of that way worth every moment of the angst.  A true sexy and sensual romantic liaison between two people who are going to blow your minds and leave you breathless for their love story and the HEA we can only hope they find soon. Mari, you truly are evil in only the best of ways!

*eARC provided by author for the purpose of an honest and unbiased review.  No compensation was provided.

ARC Review: Reign (Kindred: The Fated #3)

Reign (Kindred: The Fated #3)

Donna Grant

Blurb:

Magic holds both beauty and danger…

As Lady of the Varroki, Malene was powerful and revered. But after a battle, she awakens in Norway as Dagny, a witch with no memories of her past. Her identity fragmented, Dagny finds herself entangled in a life far removed from the path she once trod and seduced by the lure of power. Until that need shifts to passion for the one who has imprisoned her, hoping to make her remember.

As a warrior and the Lady’s right hand, Armir will not stop searching for Malene. When he does, she’s not the woman he remembers. Driven by an undying love that transcends the boundaries of time and space, Armir risks everything for her. But enemies lurk in the shadows, waiting to strike. Will he and Malene overcome their pasts to find a future together?

Themes:  Magick, Paranormal

Rating: 4.5 stars

Heat Rating: 

Review:

The grand finale has finally arrived in our hot little hands, and boy was it worth the long wait.  For those of us who have shared this long journey with the magical Donna Grant and her witches, the ending of the battles for the Kindred and their allies seemed like it would be bittersweet, but we needed to experience it.  When Malene and Armir first began to fall in love, we feared that their future would be a dark one, knowing they had obstacles in their way that might just be insurmountable, however, we never gave up hope for them.  Donna’s imagination and heart continue to surprise me and keep me on my toes as she led us through this last bit of darkness and back into the light of love and happiness for the last couple to find their hearts together. We have been given our long happily ever after for these Kindred and know that the war has finally come to an end, but I continue to hope that Donna might give us a spinoff in the future and let us back into her world for more greatness.

Armir finally has the love of his life back in his arms, after being told she was dead, despite not believing it himself, but she is not the same and doesn’t have any memory of who she was before.  She is living as a conquering witch by the name of Dagny, determined to conquer and take over, but when Armir kidnaps her from her latest battle she finds herself facing her greatest challenge ever. Now Armir and Dagny are trapped together, without their magic, until she regains her memories, because if she is set free as the witch Dagny, unable to tap into the conscience of Malene in her heart, the world could just fall into darkness. However, the more time they spend together the more Dagny feels for the sexy Varroki warrior and the deeper their emotions run.  When an enemy from the past comes to take Armir, Dagny has to dig deep to defeat not only their enemy but the blocks in her own mind to protect the man she has quickly fallen for, or they could both die.

Armir and Dagny/Malene were both interesting characters because we saw sides of these characters that we haven’t been able to see in previous novels. Armir has always been so calm, collected, and buttoned-up in previous novels because he had to project this demeanor as a leader.  But now we see him as the broken man who has lost—and now found—the love of his life and he is dealing with all the emotional upheaval of seeing the changes in Malene as she lives as Dagny.  He is still strong, determined, brave, and a singular fighter, but his love and devotion to her make you want to cry as he falls apart. Once he finally accepts that Malene might be forever gone, leaving behind only Dagny, and he allows himself to embrace her for what he needs, we see a new side of the selfless warrior and instead just see him take something for himself for once. Malene/Dagny was such a well-written character because she was truly two different characters as she was lost and then found.  Malene was once such a sweet, loving, and self-conscious character, but living as Dagny she never doubted herself and her decisions, even if we cringed as some of them.  She lived her life to the fullest, doing what she thought was best and forging ahead no matter what others thought.  She was strong, smart, fearless, and bold as she moved forward with her plans for world domination, but when she does finally understand that perhaps that might be a happy medium she carries those traits with her.  Once she regains her true self, Malene can incorporate Dagny’s strengths into her true personality to be the full Lady of the Varroki she was always meant to be, proving that he time as Dagny was not truly wasted. 

Donna Grant teaches us a valuable lesson that sometimes the parts of our personality that others find the least desirable, can in the long run be the most important for us to learn from.  When we all believed that Malene was gone, that she had given her life for the cause to keep the Coven from killing innocents for their cause, despite Armir’s conviction she lived, we were heartbroken. Learning she had turned to the dark side and was herself now trying to conquer others and force them to her will was even harder to deal with, but having to watch Armir come to accept the loss of his love a second time was almost too much.  Armir is such a stalwart and loving warrior, one who never seems to give up on those he loves or the causes he believes in, that seeing him defeated was demoralizing.  When he finally moved on and learned to live in the moment, we accepted along with him that maybe his future was on a different but no less noble and loving path with a new partner.  Malene’s path, even her time as Dagny, was complicated and led through some interesting changes for the powerful Lady of the Varroki, but in the end she found her strength and her power.  Her ability to become the leader and lover needed to effect change for her people and the man she loved, while finding herself in the end showed her inner core of goodness and strength could be buried but never was lost.  I loved the passion between these two from the very beginning of their love story in previous novels, through their time trapped together and into the future as they live their HEA.  I truly do hope that Grant gives us another series in the world of the Kindred, but if she doesn’t I can honestly say that Reign is the perfect ending to a series that began with skepticism for a world of witches and wonder and became one of my favorite of her series.  Grant’s magic with the keyboard never fails and I am forever spellbound.

*eARC provided by the author for the purpose of an honest and unbiased review.  No compensation was provided.

ARC Review: Best Friend Temptation (Montgomery Ink Legacy #4)

Best Friend Temptation (Montgomery Ink Legacy #4)

Carrie Ann Ryan

Blurb:

The Montgomery Ink Legacy series continues with a forbidden romance between two best friends and the woman they both crave. Ford, Noah, and Greer aren’t ready for what happens next.

I fell for my best friend long before I knew what that meant. Only I know he’ll never love me back.

He’s stuck in his head and his past demons and can’t see what is right in front of him.

But when Greer loses her home and needs a place to stay, both Noah and I know the only place she belongs is with us—in every way possible.

Now I’m falling for both of my roommates and trying to keep the people I protect safe.

Only someone is coming for them, and I can’t stop the inevitable fall.

I just have to hope that we made the right choices and that one day soon Noah and Greer will finally see who we can be.

Before we lose it all…or I finally walk away for good.

Themes:  Ménage  

Rating: 4.5 stars

Heat Rating: 

Review:

We have been looking forward to this story ever since Greer blew into the world of this younger generation of Montgomerys, blowing the minds of the two sexy roommates and best friends that never saw her coming to change their lives forever. The long line of Montgomerys has always been one that collects friends and lovers as they build their businesses and friendships, despite all the hardships they face as they find love, but this latest story is one that was filled with emotional angst and the pain that can sometimes come from ones own feelings of inadequacy and lack of self-confidence. I loved the way that Carrie Ann Ryan found a way to bring three so very different characters together in such a tumultuous but ultimately perfect match and one that I can’t wait to enjoy more and more as they build their lives together and we see them in later stories.  I am really looking forward to the next in series and seeing what kind of trouble the Montgomerys get themselves into –and hopefully out of—as they lose their hearts and minds over their lovers.

Ford Cage and Noah Montgomery have been best friend most of their lives, roommates and business partners for years, and lovers sometimes when the pressure become undeniable, but they both refuse to accept it can ever be more than that. Too bad they are both lusting after their new friend Greer, because while Noah believes that Ford and she should try for a relationship, Ford has something much more inclusive and permanent in mind for the three of them.  When tragedy strikes, leaving Greer in need of a place to live, the boys naturally offer their spare bedroom, neither of them really understanding the torture that resisting their sexy new roommate will be, and when they are caught in a bit of a private clinch, the three of them have to finally admit the truth of their feelings.  Agreeing to give a relationship together a try is a difficult enough sell, but Ford is highly persuasive and determined to get his way, and once has his two sexy lovers in his arms there is no way he will let them go.  But there are strange things happening in their lives, unexplainable accidents, small mishaps, and it just might be that someone is out to separate the lovers permanently.  Ford and Noah have to get to the bottom of the mystery and protect the woman they love, or risk losing her forever to and unseen enemy, before they ever really have a chance to build a life together.

I cannot say enough how much I loved these three and am so thrilled I got the chance to get to know them. While Noah is the Montgomery of the story, I have to say that Ford is the character that was the one that seemed to me to be the bravest in terms of reaching for the relationship he wanted.  Ford comes from a huge family (all hot men, oh my) and he definitely knows how to stand up for and go after what he wants, but he has resisted pushing too hard with Noah until he found just the right element he needed, which in this case of their perfect third, Greer.  Though they were obviously hurt in the past, Ford is determined to have the poly love he needs with the man he loves, and finding Greer just makes him more determined to get it.  He is sexy, smart, alpha, strong, sweet, and I loved getting to see more of him.  He was hilarious with his brothers as well, and I enjoyed seeing them all together. Noah has a very sensitive heart, one that has been clobbered in the past, and he knows from watching his parents, the problems he would face in a poly relationship, but I was very angry that he kept trying to keep himself emotional apart from Greer and Ford.  I know he was smarter and braver than that, he just needed a real kick in the ass, which is finally got when he almost lost both of the people he loved, and after that his true alpha personality can right to the forefront and he decided it was finally time to fight for what he wanted and needed all along.  He’s obviously a genius, sweet, passionate, and funny, like most of the Montgomery brood, but I wish he’d been more confident in himself and able to show his lovers and openness and dedication mush sooner.  Greer is a sweet girl, but one that has some ridiculous notions of her own worth thanks to the treatment of her parents all her life, and BOY OH BOY can I relate to that crap.  (Why is it that women are so screwed up by our parents as kids, but so many men escape unscathed? Ahem, anyway…) She obviously badly wants the two sexy security guys that have been lusting for her from the beginning, but she won’t put herself in between them because she thinks they are together and perfect for one another, and she’s partially correct. Once she is given the chance to experience the greatness of the three of them together, there is no turning back for her, though she believes it will be temporary for her, and she knows she will lose her heart quickly.  She is kind, loving, caring, smart, sassy, and ultimately the bravest of them all as she offers them her heart openly believing they are destined to turn her away anyway.   Greer is one of my favorite Montgomery heroines for sure and I know she’ll make a great addition to the family.

This story truly is about the ultimate temptation of falling in love with not one but two of your best friends, but sometimes giving into that temptations can lead to the deepest and most profound love of our lives.  Ford has loved and lusted after his best friend for years and recently added to that torture when Greer entered his life, but he hasn’t yet figured out hos to bring the two people he needs into his arms and bed.  Noah wants so badly to have Ford and Greer in his life, but he doesn’t believe he is good for them, but when she needs a safe place to land he will be whatever she needs.  Greer never imagined that Ford and Greer would be her knights in shining armor, but she can’t resist their help or their passion when faced with the truth.  When they finally admit to one another their desires and decide to defy all the obstacles and have a relationship, the love that quickly blossoms is beautiful to watch grow, but with an enemy out to stop their love they have to watch one another’s backs even as they fall deeper in love.  The passion between these three has been evident from the beginning of Greer’s appearance on the pages of Raven and Sebastian’s book, when Noah and Ford found it impossible to deny their feelings and she began daydreaming about both men, but the more time they spend together the hotter the fires of their needs.  I loved every moment of these three deepening their friendship and finally admitting that they were meant to be together, even the trauma of an enemy trying to keep them apart.  I am dying for more in the series and Carrie even sneakily brought in two new sexy families of hot alpha men (Greer’s and Ford’s brothers) who I understand will be getting their own sexy series.  Ryan never fails to make me sweat in all the best ways as her lovers thrill and fascinate me, and Best Friend Temptation is a prime example of her magic touch with a story.

*eARC provided by author for the purpose of an honest and unbiased review.  No compensation was provided.

ARV Review: HOT Honor (Hostile Operations Team: Strike Team 2 #8)

HOT Honor (Hostile Operations Team: Strike Team 2 #8)

Lynn Raye Harris

Blurb:

Waking up with a wife is not how black ops soldier Zane “Zany” Scott pictured his first trip to Las Vegas ending. Forever isn’t in his vocabulary anymore. So why did he marry a woman he just met?

Nerdy Eden Hall isn’t the kind of girl people notice. She’s always lived in her twin’s shadow, always been plain and sensible compared to her sister’s big personality. But when her sister gets engaged to the man Eden secretly loves, it’s inevitable she’ll drink too much at the bachelorette party.

It’s not inevitable that she’ll impulsively marry the hottest guy she’s ever laid eyes on, though. Of course they’re going to divorce, but it takes more time to do that than it did to get married. Time in which they’ll discover they’ve got more in common than simply burning up the sheets together.

Just when they think they might have something worth keeping, it all goes wrong and Eden becomes the target of a killer. Zane will have to risk everything to save his wife. Because if he doesn’t, he could lose the woman who, against all odds, kickstarted his heart into beating again.

Themes:  Contemporary

Rating:  4.25 stars

Heat Rating: 

Review:

The final member of the original HOT team has finally fallen in this story of crazy mistakes turning into lifelong love. II have been looking forward to this story for a while now, knowing that Zany was going to be true to his name in the way that he found his mate and the woman that he selected –even if by accident—to share his life. Lynn Raye Harris has a skill with her characters and a magic with her plotting that the rest of us could only hope to aspire to. As these operators have slowly widened their circle, both with lover, wives, friends, and allies, we have found ourselves in foreign countries, unimaginable experiences, and the fear and desperation of loved ones in danger, but through it all Harris manages to bring the most unlikely of lovers together and give them the HEA we all hope to find and a future filled with happiness. While Zany and Eden’s tory was certain rocky and filled with misunderstanding, miscommunications, and danger, in the end these two discover that the passion that originally brought them together is more than enough to build a foundation to structure their love and lives on.  I am dying for more in this series, and perhaps a fun spinoff that was hinted at, and of course hopefully we get to see more of the Black’s Bandits guys, but all in all whatever Lynn Raye Harris gives us I know I will devours it gladly.

Zane “Zany” Scott is in Vegas to celebrate his little sisters Twenty-First birthday, nothing more, and he is determined not to do anything stupid, but he never imagined getting knocked off his feet by the sexy and shy woman he connects eyes with across the bar.  Eden Hall has never been able to shine with her beautiful sister around and now that her sister is marrying the man she is in love with Eden is willing to drown her pain when the sexy Zane offers her a shoulder and some drinks. But things are seriously complicated when they wake up in bed together after a long night of passion, with rings on their fingers and a license in hand.  Now they are stuck dealing with the consequences—and one another—but as they spend time together, they come to appreciate and like one another and maybe even more.  When tragedy strikes, placing Eden and those around her in danger, Zane is determined to keep her safe, pulling in the rest of HOT, but the more time they spend together, the more Eden comes to care for Zane.  Conflicting feelings, confusing miscommunications, and two stubborn people that can’t seem to express themselves might be the least of their worries if they can’t figure out who is after Eden and her sister in time, because Sane might just find himself a widow instead of needing a divorce.  And he definitely won’t have a chance at a happily ever after with the woman he might just be falling in love with if he doesn’t admit his feelings and find a way to save her life.

I really enjoyed finally getting to know Zane and see more of him, but I was a bit surprised by him a few times in that I wanted to slap him for his treatment of Eden and his hard line take of some issues. It is obvious that his past relationship, truly screwed him up for any chance at building a loving connection with anyone, and while I mostly blame the bitch that treated him so badly, he never really worked through his issues.  Zane was such a sweet guy in the general scheme of things, rescuing damsels in distress, caring for his family, always jumping in to help his HOT family, that the way he treated Eden when he got his feelings hurt. Other than those moments he was awesome, strong, sweet, loving, brave, kickass and intelligent he is the ultimate hero, showing Eden that she is sexy and lovable, even when she doesn’t think she is any of those things. Eden on the other hand is the kind of woman I can fully understand; she has real issues with self-confidence that mostly began with her mother, always being compared to her sister and coming up short, and it has carried into her adult life.  She believes that she is in love with her boss, who is now her sister’s fiancé, and it colors all her choices even after she meets Zane, but he slowly manages to change her mind and heart as he shows her who he is and the kind of life and family they can have together.  She is witty, charming, thoughtful, and stronger than she knows, and protective of those she loves, but even when she was in danger she never gave up and never stopped believing that Zane would come for her.  Despite all that she faced, it was obvious that when Eden really gave her heart, she did it entirely and nothing would ever change her decision, no danger, pain, threat, or fear, and I was thrilled to see that the same was true ultimately for Zane.

‘Honor bespeaks worth’ is one of my favorite quotes, and it goes well with this story, because truly the honor that Zane shows as he handles what begins as a mistake and because a treasured moment shows his worth. I loved every moment, even the ones where I screamed and cried, as I read Zane and Eden’s story of lust, missed opportunities, danger, and ultimately a love that changed them both for the better. Zane has been broken for so long, he doesn’t know how to love, but Eden has pulled at him from the first moment their eyes connected, and the more they are together the harder it is to deny that she might just be the one woman he can’t live without.  Eden knows that she isn’t a beauty queen, but Zane makes her feel like the most beautiful woman in the world, and there is no denying that she is falling deeper and deeper for the big, protective, sexy man that has swept her off her feet.  Together they will do everything in their power, along with Zane’s HOT family, to protect Eden and her sister against and unknown enemy, but they don’t have a lot of time before that enemy makes his move and ultimately decides their fates for them.  The passion and heat between these two was explosive and I was almost sad that we didn’t get to see more of their wedding night in action with them, instead of just in flashbacks, but oh well, and I know that the heat between them won’t be fading any time soon.  I am dying to see more of Zany and his Eden in future stories as Harris has hinted at the possibility of a new spinoff series and of course there is at least one more HOT member that needs his own story and the Black Bandits are still out there running around the world as well.  Harris never ceases to keep me entertained and on the edge of my seat as she creates characters and plots that are impossible to predict and that I’m helpless to put down. 

*eARC provided by author for the purpose of an honest and unbiased review.  No compensation was provided.

ARC Mini Review: How the Hitman Stole Christmas (Holiday with a Hitman #1)

How the Hitman Stole Christmas (Holiday with a Hitman #1)

Katie Reus

Blurb:

'Tis the season for a grumpy-sunshine romance with a side of murder and mayhem!

She hates Christmas and everything that goes with it…

Explosives expert Elliana hates Christmas—and the only good thing about this holiday season is that her gorgeous neighbor seems allergic to shirts and clothes in general. She knows because she’s been watching him for months with her drone. She’s never stalked anyone before, but he not only doesn’t seem to mind, he puts on nightly strip shows just for her. When she finally works up the courage to talk to him, she stumbles right into a murder—that he’s committed.

But this holiday is one she’ll never forget…

According to him, the whole murder thing is no big deal—the dead guy needed killing. And while her hot neighbor wants her, protecting her is his main priority. So, when she’s targeted, this cinnamon roll hitman kidnaps her for her own good. With a deadly threat hunting them and a hot hitman who keeps handcuffing her to him “for her own protection”, Elliana is starting to reconsider her grinchy stance on the holidays. And when everything finally comes to a head, the results are bound to be…explosive.

Themes:  Holiday

Rating: 4 stars

Heat Rating: 

Review:

So, what happens when a grinchy but sexy security specialist finally meets the gorgeous Christmas obsessed hitman next door? Well, nothing short of chaos ensuing in this hilarious holiday short romance by Katie Reus in her new Holidays with a Hitman series. I have to tell you I was a little bit surprised when I read the blurb for this one, but I knew that I was going to love it and be laughing even as I fell in love right alongside the characters as they finally got to know one another.  Katie Reus has a way of making you forget the ridiculousness of a hitman and an explosives expert hacker falling in lust through voyeurism and then falling in love through kidnapping and just reminds you that there is a perfect someone made for everyone out there. In the Case of Elliana, her perfect someone turned out to the be sexy man she’s been perving on for almost a year, but little did she know when she finally went to introduce herself that she was putting herself into a seriously confusing situation.  Theo Contos has been obsessed with Elliana since he first found her watching him, but being a hitman, he knows introducing her to his life is going to be tricky, until she stumbles right into the middle of ones of his jobs and things become complicated.  Now she’s got a hit out on her and he will do anything to protect her, even kidnap her and make she that she is safe long enough to make sure she understands that he intends to make her his. Theo and Elliana each have their own ideas of how their relationship will be progressing—or not as the case may be—but soon the heated chemistry between them is too much to resist and they can’t keep their hands of one another.  But will that be enough to overcome their hangups and find a way to trust and work together to defeat the asshole after Elliana and build a future together?

I have to say I was really surprised by the turn of events in this story, but I loved every moment of it, whether I was laughing, crying, or gasping for breath as the dangerous action unfolded.  Theo and his family were hilarious, because why not have such a loving, sweet family of hit people that are determined to run their son’s life, but it was obvious they were supportive and wonderful people, despite their chosen profession.  Theo himself was a sweetheart and despite being a vigilante style hitman I loved him I loved getting to know him.  He was strong, solid, loving, brave, humorous, and cheerful, which you just really don’t expect in a hitman, but he was also just alpha enough to keep Elliana from running all over him.  Elliana is a serious badass, smart, sassy, down to earth, and just plain cool.  I loved watching her stand up to Theo in the beginning and then stand up for herself as their relationship progressed, even as she fell in love with him.  It’s obvious these two lost souls were meant to connect with one another, the perfect match of light to darkness and I can see them being together long years in the future.  I am hoping to see more of them in the coming installments in the series, and I have an inkling of who the next book might be about, but I will keep my guesses to myself for now and just keep my fingers crossed.  As always, the holidays aspect of this story, serves more as a background foil for the storyline and character development as opposed to being the main focus of the story which makes me even happier because then it can be truly read any time of the year.  Another classic Katie masterwork!

*eARC provided by author for the purpose of an honest and unbiased review.  No compensation was provided.