ARC Review: Through the Glen (The Highlands #3)

Through the Glen (The Highlands #3)

Samantha Young

Blurb:

He’s a cynical, world-weary Londoner. She’s a shy Scot. They might seem like opposites, but a few weeks in the Highlands will bring them together in ways they can’t imagine…

Theo Cavendish is the second son of a British viscount, and he’s spent years running from the aristocratic world he grew up in. Betrayal and loss taught him lessons he’s not quick to forget. As an award-winning screenwriter and creator, Theo prefers to throw himself into the world of film and television. He moves from one project to another, never really letting anyone truly know him.

As a housekeeper at the exclusive Ardnoch Estate, shy Sarah McCulloch feels invisible most days. No one really knows her, and they definitely don’t know she’s a bestselling crime writer. She dreams of seeing her series on screen and believes only one person can develop it for television. On the day she quits the estate for good, she shares her secret with club member, Theo, and asks him to consider her books.

Sarah never expected him to say yes or to show up on her doorstep ready to write with her. Or that weeks spent locked up in her cottage would lead them to form an intense but undeniable connection. A bond that Theo is not sure he’s ready to accept, even though he can’t bear to be without her.

However, when they finally venture out of their bubble, Theo finds he’ll have to battle more than his own demons to protect Sarah from hurt. For he has another fan, one intent on bringing the darkest elements of his most famous script to life. And unless he can figure out this real-life antagonist’s next move, Theo could be in danger of losing Sarah forever.

Themes:  Contemporary

Rating: 4.5 stars

Heat Rating: 

Review:

Ok let’s be honest, none of us thought that we would love Theo because he was a huge prat in North and Aria’s novel, despite the glimpses of goodness we peeked. But I have to tell you I think that Theo is my favorite despicable, wounded, and bastard of a hero in any novel I have read in a long time.  Samantha Young has such a beautiful ability to pull readers into the lives of her characters, their backstories and the emotional trauma that has shaped them into the broken individuals they are that you can’t help but fall into the story and never want to crawl out. This story is filled with pain, passion, exploration, and laughter right along with the chance for two people to truly heal one another and find their way out of the darkness that has kept them both back from living full and fulfilled lives for far too long.  This series continues to amaze and thrill me and with each new story I find myself wanting to jump on a plane and fly to Scotland (again) so that I can find out myself if the beauty of the Highlands might present me with a new and amazing chance at love and life.  I cannot wait for the next book and I know I will devour it just as quickly as I have the last three stories in this series—and not to mention the original Ardnoch series, which cannot be discounted and really shouldn’t be missed.

Sarah McCulloch has finally made the difficult decision to come out of her shell and move on from her day job as a housekeeper at the esteemed Ardnoch Estate, to continue pursuing her shining career as a bestselling author.  But before she does she has one last task—to ask the gorgeous and award-winning screenwriter Theo Cavendish if he will team up with her to write the screenplay for her books.  Theo can’t believe his ears when Sarah admits her secret, but despite his writer’s block, he always works alone and turns her down; but when he is forced to reconsider its decision he finds himself chasing her instead to ask her to allow him to work with her.  Spending time together at Sarah’s secluded beach-side cottage, they begin to grow close and their friendship evolves into something more, leading to a passionate relationship neither of them is prepared for.  When they leave their privacy, they are forced to face challenges and truths neither of them are ready for and they have to come to terms with their differences quickly or they will lose the emotional connection they have developed. Can an emotionally stunted former playboy and an innocent but brave woman find a way to grow together and find love or will they be forever separated by their vast differences?

I loved getting to know these two and seeing them get to know one another, because let’s be honest the secrets they have been keeping from everyone around them, with only a few exceptions, have made them both island in a sea with no way to cross to them.  Sarah’s shyness, fears, and insecurities from her youth, before moving to Ardnoch with her grandfather, left a deep and abiding stamp on her, preventing her from moving forward and becoming the woman that she was always meant to be.  She is passionate, smart, witty, and sweet, but she has so many fears and anxieties that she truly fears venturing out into the world and so many experiences bring up painful memories for her.  But the beautiful dichotomy of her is that when her friends, family, or lover are having their own issues with past pains or insecurities she is soft and loving enough to be there for them, forgiving them and allowing them into or back into her heart when so many others might hold grudges.  I loved her playfulness with Theo, even when he was at his darkest, giving him that respite and showing him that life is not always meant to be so serious.  Theo was a dark soul, his ability to hold a grudge and willingness to wallow in his own darkness a little bit worrying, but on the other side of the coin he was always there for his friends.  He feels so deeply especially the pain of loss and betrayal from those that should have loved him the most that he has never recovered, never let go of the anger that shaped him in to the prick he presents to everyone except Sarah.  For Sarah he is willing to be softer, to be a better man and forgive those that have tried to break him, but with her love he will prove they failed.  I loved his sweetness under the gruff exterior, his mischievousness and his willingness to play with Sarah even if he rarely lost his edge.  The passion he shared with her as he brought her out of her share allowed him to find his own softness and her gentleness smoothed out the hasher edges of his personality, allowing the puzzle pieces of their hearts to fit together perfectly.

Is there ever a better story than the edgy asshole falling in love with the innocent lass, getting his heart handed to him, and finding himself tamed once and for all? I cannot tell you just how much I enjoyed this story, but just to say I think I only moved three times during the entire time I was reading.  Sarah is the type of woman that you just love to watch blossom as she heals from her loss and finds her way past her shyness, but the best part is as she finds her footing as a passionate and loving woman with the help of the man that is slowly stealing her heart, even before he captures her body.  She can’t resist the sweetness that Theo only seems to show when he is around her and begins to see the true man buried under the pain and hatred he has hidden behind for years, and her determination to bring out that true loving man shows that despite her misgivings she will fight for her love.  Theo is one of those characters that you love to hate, but in the end you are rooting for because you feel his pain right alongside him. He was so betrayed and never got over it, but the healing and support he gets from Sarah allows him to embrace the man he truly has always been underneath the angry shell he shows to the world and instead be the caring, giving, and loving man he is.  I loved the teasing, and sometimes naughty banter that these two shared continuously, but the passion that they shared was evident even when they fought it in the beginning.  However once they unleashed that heat, there was no hiding that they were compatible physically and the chemistry would always be an underlying part of their relationship. I am dying for the next book, which I understand will be between Sarah’s cousin, Jared, and Aria’s sister, Allegra, because from the scenes in this book that one is going to be another explosive and emotional rollercoaster.  Ms. Young is quickly becoming one of my favorite go-to authors and you can surely bet I am spreading the word far and wide, because no one should miss the greatness that is Through the Glen, and into The Highlands.

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

ARC Review: Fighting for Hailey (Redemption Harbor Security #1)

Fighting for Hailey (Redemption Harbor Security #1)

Katie Reus

Blurb:

She’s the one who got away…

They grew up together, dated for years—but when Lennox had a chance at a college scholarship and a new life, Hailey abruptly ended things. She wanted him to have the life he deserved, and with her track record knew she’d just bring him down. Now they’re both grown and she runs the new branch of Redemption Harbor Consulting, heading up their security division. But her past is about to collide with her present in a big way, and she can’t outrun her demons any longer.

This time, he’s playing for keeps…

Years ago Hailey joined the military and ruthlessly cut all her foster siblings out her life. Now that one of them is in danger she’s back—and Lennox isn’t letting her push him away ever again. One of their own has been kidnapped and with the clock ticking, they have no choice but to work together to find him before it’s too late. But the threat is much worse than they imagined. It will take all their combined skills—and breaking through Hailey’s walls— to unravel the clues in time to save him.

Themes:  Contemporary, Second Chance

Rating:  4.25 stars

Heat Rating:  

Review:

So, I was truly surprised when I started this book because I’m going to be totally honest with you, when I hear Katie Reus is releasing a new book, I don’t bother reading too much about it, I just assume I’m going to want it.  That said based on the design of the cover I thought this  was another book in the Red Stone Security series or one of the connected ones, so I was so thrilled to learn it was a spinoff of one of my favorite of her past series and that I would be getting to see some of my favorite characters again! So, all of that meant that I enjoyed this new addition to the Redemption Harbor series with their new group of folks and their quirky way of looking at the world in shades of gray and I cannot wait for more in the series.  Katie’s ability to take characters with tragic and sometimes terrifyingly backstories and make them into such strong and heroic individuals is beyond amazing and a skill that never ceases to amaze me.

Hailey West gave up her found family when she ran from them as a young woman though she never stopped loving them and when one of her brothers is kidnapped right off the street she will do anything to get him back safely, but she knows it will bring her face-to-face with the others.  Jesse Lennox never imagined that when he went looking for his kidnapped brother he’d find the love of his life—the woman that walked out on all of them years ago and seemed to have never looked back.  But now that he has her in his hands, Jesse is not going to let Hailey out of his sight ever again.  While working with the authorities and her team to find their brother, Jesse and Hailey quickly come to realize that their feelings have never died and the passion between them still burns brightly.  But can they get over not only the heartbreak of Hailey leaving but also the reasons that she left in the first place in order for Jesse to finally claim the woman who stole his heart at sixteen and never gave it back.  It will take ever thing they have to save their brother and get over their hang-ups but Jesse will do whatever it takes and he will never stop Fighting for Hailey.

These two are one of those odd couples that you can see why they were pulled together, because opposites truly do attract sometimes and Jesse’s solemn nature and Hailey’s irreverence are just made to mesh together like puzzle pieces.  I loved getting to know Hailey, not only seeing her with the brothers of her youth and Jesse as they found their groove together again, but also with her new Redemption Harbor family.  She has so many issues from her past, but while she obviously allowed them to stop her in her relationships she didn’t let it stop her from becoming a serious badass wit ha little bit of a crazy streak.  She is sassy, outlandish, loving, strong, plucky, and determined and willing to do anything in order to get her brother back.  She is also willing to do just about anything to protect the man she loves, even stupid things that hurt her, if she thinks they are in his best interests. I could see myself really enjoying having Hailey as a drinking bud, as long as I didn’t let her lead me into too many crazy escapades. Jesse on the other hand has spent the majority of his life trying to find calm in the chaos and he only seems to truly find it when he is protecting and caring for those he loves, including the woman that actually creates the most chaos for him.  He devotes so much of his time, money, and skill to helping those that can benefit from all three because he understands what it means to be in need of help and that makes him a truly great man in my book.  He is sweet, loving, smart, courageous, funny, and strong and obviously the strength of their found family.  I loved seeing him as he found so hard to make Hailey see that she belonged with him and should never have left, but more I loved seeing him allow her to come to terms with her mistakes and how he helped her see the flaws in her reasoning.

Fighting for Hailey is one of those books that will stick with me for a long time simply because it has it all, humor, passion, action, love, and intrigue all wrapped up beautifully in a storyline that is totally believable in the evil of today’s society.  I was so happy to get to see these two lovers get their second chance at love and family and look forward to seeing more of them in the rest of the series, especially the nest novel which looks to be a doozy.  Hailey is one of those women that truly flies by the seat of her pants and manages to come of smelling like daisies more often than not and I envy that about her.  She has loved and lost, but she knows that when she gets a second chance with Jesse she can’t pass it up, especially when he doesn’t really give her the chance to walk away.  Jesse is the kind of guy that will give up the shirt off his back for someone in need, but the ones thing he is unwilling to give up again is Hailey and I loved watching him give his all for her.  As these two work through their issues, building trust again and reestablishing their deep love, they managed to kick butt and take down a huge criminal ring and still rescue their brother so really what more can you ask for in the end.  The passion between these two former lovers explodes off the screen from the very first second these two enter one another’s orbit again, like a firebomb being fed oxygen and I don’t see that dying anytime soon.  I am dying for the next story because the heat and interest between Cash and Reese was palpable through their every interaction and I cannot wait to see what finally pushes that to the breaking point in their book.  Katie manages to always find the heart and heat we all want to have in our own lives and allow us to enjoy a small piece for ourselves through her writing and Fighting for Hailey is just one more example of that flair.

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

ARC Review: Just a Little Promise (Dare Crossover Series #3)

Just a Little Promise (Dare Crossover Series #3)

Carly Phillips, Erika Wilde

Blurb:

He’s the one she’s never forgotten.

She’s the one he regrets letting go.

Now they have a second chance to get it right.

When Skye Tremont runs into her sexy former flame, Tripp Daniels, she’s reminded of the baby pact they’d made years ago… If she was single and childless by the age of thirty, he’d step in and be her baby daddy and fulfill her dream of having a child.

Now, after a bitter divorce that has left her guarding her heart, and wanting only one thing, Skye is ready to take Tripp up on his promise. When he’s one of the bachelors up for bid at a charity auction, it’s the perfect opportunity to have him all to herself for a weekend of baby making fun, as long as he agrees to her terms.

Tripp is on board to fulfill the promise he made to Skye. If he’s going to have a baby with anyone, it’s going to be the one woman he’d foolishly let slip through his fingers. But not this time because he’s all in. Skye is even more beautiful than he remembers, and the chemistry between them is hotter than ever, but while she gives him free rein with her body, she’s made it clear her heart is off limits.

Now, with a second chance within his grasp, Tripp is prepared to do whatever it takes to win the woman he loves and give them both the family they’ve always craved.

Themes:  Contemporary

Rating: 4.25 stars

Heat Rating: 

Review:

Nothing is better than a story of two people both getting a second chance at the one this they both want more than anything else in the world—even if they don’t agree one just what they are getting. This fun crossover series written in the world of the Dare/Kingston family by Carly Phillips in conjunction with Erika Wilde is one that continues to thrill me as each new book shapes up. Each story begins around the Bachelor Auction for charity hosted by Chloe Kingston and with each story we get a new POV and a new see a new bachelor find himself falling in love.  Because of this the timelines overlap and each of the storylines interweave together and we get glimpses of just who might be falling next.  In this latest installment former lovers are brought back together in big way and the auction is just the excuse they need to rekindle their past and fulfill a pact from long ago. I am enjoying reach of these fun stories and can’t wait for the next one because I suspect who it might be about and if I’m correct it will be beyond fascinating to experience.

Skye Tremont is finally free from her ex and living a life that she is content with, except for the one thing she has always wanted—a baby.  She is enjoying her new job and freedom when she runs into the one man from her past who can shatter the delicate balance of her fairytale, the one man that she never stopped loving but that broke her heart irrevocably.  Tripp Daniels is amazed to look across his favorite bar one night and see the face of the woman he left a decade ago but he can’t deny he still wants and loves her.  Determined to prove there is still something real between them, Tripp  sets out to remind Skye why they were so good together but she had built walls high and strong around her heart, leaving only one small allowance for him to get through. She will allow him to be the father of her baby, but she won’t let him have her heart—unless he can break through once and for all and prove they should have been together all along.  Now that he has a small opening, Tripp will do whatever it takes to get through to Skye, but he needs to protect her from her abusive ex-husband first or they might not ever have a chance at have the life together they so badly deserve.

I truly enjoyed every moment of this story, even as I watch Skye struggle with her issues of self-confidence and self-worth after her bastard ex-husband’s treatment.  Skye was obviously a bright light that her ex tried so badly to steal for himself and when he wasn’t able to really earn her heart, he tried to snuff out her light.  She was sweet, loving, caring, strong, brave and I could totally see her being one of my girlfriends if I met her in real life. I felt badly for all the challenges she was forced to face, but between the love of her family and the love that she found with Tripp she had the support she finally needed to stand up once and for all and bring down her ex. Tripp is a good guy that made a dumb decision in his youth, leaving a good woman behind because he thought it was the right thing to do.  I will say that while that pissed me off, he definitely  got smarter as he got older, because the moment he set eyes on Skye again he knew there was no way he was letting her go again. He is smart, resilient, kind, adoring, and sweet as he tried to convince Skye that he is the man she needs for her partner in all aspects of her life.   I was thrilled to see him finding small ways to give her exactly what she asked for and needed, instead of just bulldozing over her as so many males do, but at the same time he showed her she could trust him to always be there for her.  We can easily see these two are meant to be and will make a beautiful couple and even more beautiful family when the time comes.

Just a Little Promise is a story of two people, separated by decades, but brought back together by fate and a time in their lives when they can offer one another exactly what they need. Even as Skye resists the truth, that Tripp is offering her so much more than just his “baby making” presence in her life, she is also coming to trust and believe in him, caring for him again in the way she did in her youth.  While she still has hangups from her previous relationship, we watch her slowly open herself up to Trip and give him more and more of herself to Tripp as he shows her the man he is today and how much he loves her.  Tripp is a man that knows what he lost and what he needs to do to prove that he will never again give up on them.  His willingness to do whatever it takes to prove he is there for the long haul shows his moral character and the strength of his love.  Watching these two circle and dance together as they fall back in love was beautiful and passionate, but of course I expected nothing less from these two authors as they team up for this series. I am looking forward to seeing more couples from this bachelor auction as they fall in lust and ultimately find love, because let’s be real, what could be sexier that billionaire bachelors being auctioned off for charity and then falling love with the women that win them.  What a dream come true that would be!  But until that happens for me, I will just keep enjoying reading about it happening for these ladies.

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

ARC Mini-Review: Just One Summer (The Kingston Family #9.5)

Just One Summer (The Kingston Family #9.5)

Carly Phillips

Blurb:

Gabriella Davenport is a gorgeous, twenty-two-year-old virgin with a trust fund, vacationing in the Hamptons for the summer and running from family pressure to marry someone she doesn’t like, let alone love.

Maddox James is a sexy bar manager, older than Gabby by a decade. Though he made his fortune on Wall Street, he has returned to his working-class roots with a healthy distrust of wealthy women.

Themes:  Contemporary, Novella

Rating: 4 stars

Heat Rating: 

Review:

I was kind of surprised when I learned this book was coming, because despite having met Maddox in Zach’s story I didn’t realize he’d get his own HEA and I was thrilled by it.  Carly Phillip’s long running and twisty Dare/Kingston series has just earned another branch as she introduces the Sterling family with Remy and this little crossover giving us a bit of a taste with Maddox was a treat until we get Remy’s novel in a few months.  Maddox James was a bright and shining star on the rise in the world of wall street until he realized he was losing himself in the darkness of that world and moved to the Hamptons to live a simpler life.  That life includes managing The Back Door, a bar and grille owned by Zach Dare and Remy Sterling, a job that gives him a way to live a simple life and still feel productive, but he still knows money and trouble when she sits her gorgeous ass down at his bar one night. Gabriella Davenport is so over the fake and pretentious life she is forced to live with her parents and decides that a night out drowning her sorrows at the fun bar in the Hamptons is just what she needs, but when she wakes the next morning, having been given a safe scape from her family by the sexy bar manager, she is willing to beg and plead to get him to give her safe haven while she finds a way to escape her life. The more time Gabby is in Mad’s home the more she shows him that not all women are cut from the same cloth and she just might be the sweet and loving woman that she appears to be, even if she does come from the kind of background that creates the worst kinds of women. Can he open his heart and move on from past heartbreak in order to open himself to the love that Gabby offers or will those looking to tear her from his arms come between them before either of them get the chance to truly find their long-term love?  I truly enjoyed this short love story, both of the characters interesting, with rich backstories and the kinds of moral strength that make Carly’s characters so perfect.  Gabby seems in the beginning like she is just the poor little rich girl running away from home, but its obvious she was never made to live in that world and when she finds a champion to give her a haven to live her life the way she needs to she finds not only her backbone, but finally begins to thrive like a flower finally coming out form under the choking shade of weed-filled garden.  Maddox has a lot of hangups about his past, and though he is grumpy and surly most of the time, he is obviously a good man and when he opens his eyes and sees what a good woman Gabby is, he grabs her with both hands and refuses to let her go.  The pull between them is evident from the very moment they are in one another’s presences despite the obstacle they put in their path, but when they finally come to accept their needs, boy watch out for that wildfire. I am dying to see more of them in the coming Sterling series (Just One More Moment) where we will get to watch Remy fall under some woman’s spell and meet the rest of his siblings.  Carly Phillip’s ability to captivate reader’s, even in a short story like Just One Summer, shows her skill with words and love, and her mastery of the romance genre and I for one will never miss a release.

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

ARC Mini-Review: Dragon Kiss (Dragon Kings #7)

Dragon Kiss (Dragon Kings #7)

Donna Grant

Blurb:

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Donna Grant’s latest installment picks up where Dragon Arisen leaves off. Alasdair and Lotti return to face the biggest foe the Dragon Kings have met yet—and the stakes have never been higher.

Lotti has come a long way since finding love with Alasdair and uncovering her true origins as a Star Person. She has embraced the magic she once shunned—as well as the label of Destroyer by her own. And it has made her powerful. But will it be enough to stand against her family as they target the Dragon Kings?

Alasdair has faced many adversaries who rose up against the Dragon Kings. But nothing could prepare him for the Star People and the discovery that they once enslaved his kind. It’s more than his life on the line this time. It’s the very existence of all dragons. It will take Alasdair and Lotti, together, to defeat their enemy.

Themes:  Paranormal, Dragons, Magick

Rating: 4 stars

Heat Rating: 

Review:

 I always love it when an author revisits a couple to show us more of their love story, letting us see glimpses into their lives as they grow together and learn more about themselves as individuals and as a couple—and Donna Grant is one of the best authors for that. Alasdair and Lotti came together and earned their hard-won HEA in a previous novel (--) and now that their enemies have continued to multiply we get a glimpse of how they will work together to defeat them. Alasdair saved Lotti by disposing of the Messerine stone in the safest place he could in the heat of the moment, but now they and their allies need to retrieve it so they have a chance of defeating their enemy.  Lotti is no longer as terrified of hurting others with her powers, but she worries daily that she isn’t strong enough or learning her powers fast enough to defeat their ultimate enemy. With the help of their friends, Lotti and Alasdair embark on a mission to retrieve the stone, fraught with dangers and with very little chance of success, but both are determined to do everything in their power to protect one another and their friends. But their enemies now they are coming and sometimes the will and determination to defeat darkness aren’t enough when faced with an evil that is nearly indefatigable in their attacks.  Only by working together to outsmart and outlast them can Lotti, Alasdair and their allies stand a chance at returning from their mission safely—win or lose.  I have to say that I loved this story, even though there was more than once I was afraid Donna was going to do us dirty and actually have evil win for once, but thankfully our heroes found a way to come out in the end. That said I am dying to find out where this storyline is heading in so many of the subplots, because Donna is killing me with everything happening in this world and the world of the Dragon Kings.

Lotti has learned a lot about her origins since she met Alasdair, but simply learning that she is a Star Person isn’t enough, she needs to learn what that means for herself, what her powers are, and what that will mean in the battle for Zora and the dragons.  She is determined to do everything she can to help Alasdair, the Kings, and the innocents that have been attacked and corrupted by their enemy.  I love her spunk, resolve, compassion, and love, but mostly I love her unwillingness to ever give up protecting those she loves. Alasdair has always been the strongest being around, magically and physically, and knowing that his mate might just be more powerful than him is a lot to take in, but he can’t seem to stop worrying that he will lose her, and knowing that he has to watch her go into battle after battle isn’t helping things.  He is just as determined to protect her from her enemies, but the unseen enemy that is targeting Dragon Kings is putting her in more danger, leaving him divided as to how to protect his mate.  I hated seeing his hurt on this, but thankfully he finds his balance and they are able to understand how great they are as a team.  The passion between Lotti and Alasdair continues to burn brightly and I don’t see it waning anytime soon as there love continues to grow and deepen.  I am dying for the next story as we should finally get some closure on Merrick and get to see him break away from the evil that has been holding him away from his family for far too long.  The Dragon Kings are one of my favorite groups to read about and the more of them we meet, the deeper we go into their world, the more I wish I had a King of my own to claim me and make me his mate, because what could be hotter than a sexy millennia old Dragon shifter with a Sots accent to die for?

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

ARC Review: Tempted and Taken (Italian Stallions #6)

Tempted and Taken (Italian Stallions #6)

Mari Carr

Blurb:

Some mistakes are worth repeating.

Liza knows that cocky billionaire Matt Russo is the wrong man for her. She could make a long list of reasons why she’d be smart to stay away, including his tenacious ex-girlfriend, the fact he’s trying to destroy her family, and, oh yeah, did she mention he’s a cold, distant bastard? However, after their tempestuous one-night stand, she’s finding it hard to hang on to their well-established nemesis routine.

Matt is the master of control—of his life, his emotions, his future. Except, of course, for that night he slipped up…with Liza Moretti. Reassuming his grip on the reins, he’s determined it won’t happen again. Unfortunately, doing the right thing in regard to the tempting woman fails because doing the wrong things with her— to her —are too alluring to resist.

An impromptu invitation to share his private plane leads to an unexpected break from reality and some very steamy nights in Hawaii. Until real life comes knocking and Matt is forced to face the mistakes of his past. Mistakes that could destroy the one thing he can’t control, and the one thing he can no longer live without—Liza.

Themes:  Erotica

Rating: 4.75 stars

Heat Rating: 

Review:

 The continuation of the sensual and sensation love story between two of our favorite sexy Italians has finally arrived. Mari Carr fans have been wondering about this story for a long time, waiting to find how just how this one was going to turn out, and I think I can speak for all of us in saying that it was beyond perfect.   Mari Carr is one of those authors that manages in the span of a single short novel to take us to the highest peak of passion, drop us into the lowest despair and finally to bring the perfect happily ever to her characters and we get to experience it all with them.  I’m never quite sure what I’m signing up for when I begin one of her books but I know the adventure is going to be emotional and is going to leave me wrung out and exhausted by ultimately thrilled that I the lovers managed to work through all of their obstacles and get their HEA.  In this latest installment we are actually getting a continuation of a beautifully passionate night that we enjoyed in the short novella Naughty and Nice,  Where Liza and Matt first began to understand that the feelings they’d been fighting for one another might be a losing battle.  I loved every moment of this book and am just dying now for the next in the series, because as always the epilogue led us in an intriguing and new direction for the next couple (throuple?) and I couldn’t help reading—even though I keep telling myself that way lay danger. If you are looking for an emotional, beautiful, passionate, and ultimately amazing story of two lovers finding their perfect match, I can’t recommend a better story than Tempted and Taken.

Matt Russo is trying to move forward with his daily life, but despite the craziness of the holidays he can’t stop thinking about his one night with a woman he should never have taken to his bed.  Old grudges, family lines, and supposed dislike should have been enough of a deterrent, but Liza Moretti draws Matt like no other woman ever has, and after spending one night with her in his bed, he’s not sure he can turn off the need to have her. Liza keeps trying to ignore the need she feels for Matt, the dark desires he awoke in her, but even though she knows he will ultimately likely break her heart, she can’t seem to keep away from him.  When they find themselves away from their families, headed to Hawaii for a wedding, the temptation becomes to irresistible.  But can they make their way through the minefields of obstacles in their way to find a happy ending, or is there just too much pain and danger between them to have any chance at a happy future?  Liza knows she could easy love Matt, if he allows it, but she won’t give herself and her future to a man that won’t open himself to her and offer her the world—Can Matt give her what she needs or will they be torn apart?

There was so much going on for both Matt and Liza in this story, requiring them to seek help and advice from those they love more than once, but ultimately they needed to come together in love in order to grow and find their way to happiness.  Liza has lived her entire adult life guiding her career and her life, so giving into the dominance and need that Matt requires is a challenge to her, but at the same time it is exactly what she has always needed.  That submission is just what she needed in order to feel cherished and loved and she finds it perfectly in Matt’s arms, allowing her sassy, sweet, loving, kind, smart, and witty nature free rein but giving her the chance to destress and relax more.  Matt has gone through a lot, as we slowly learn, in his life, leaving him jaded about a lot of things, especially love, but he knows immediately that Liza is different than every other woman that has ever been in his life.  He has to work through a lot before he manages to fully open himself to the love she is offering him, stopping himself from pushing her away finally, which is painful to experience with him, but I was glad that his brothers supported him and that he managed to come out the other side of that a whole man and able to offer his huge heart finally.  He is strong, smart, brave, caring, loving, sexy, and just about the perfect man once he learns to open up more to the woman he loves.  I am dying to see him in future stories as he embraces his family more and he and Liza begin their lives together even more.  Together these two of perfectly matches puzzle pieces always meant to come together. 

This story is one that hits on a lot of subjects that are painful for many readers, life events that are painful and traumatizing that are often glossed over in stories because of that.  But Mari jumps right into the deep end, touching on the subject of cheating, childhood mental and emotional abuse, and suicide all to show that these things can affect a person and their choices, even if you think you have dealt with this long into adulthood and even in the most subtle of ways. It was a truly moving moment to watch Matt’s brothers supporting him as he relived the night of his mother’s death, working through his emotions with him and making him understand that he couldn’t let his feeling about that stop him from moving forward in life and love.  I was crying for a while after that scene not to mention the chapters before and after it, so I warn you to be prepared with plenty of tissues—or hell so for the hankie—when you dive into this story.  Matt is the perfect sexy, alpha, dominate billionaire that, once he decides on a course, sticks to it until someone knocks some sense into him and shows him that it’s time to change course.  Liza is a beautiful character, inside and out, and is the perfect match to Matt’s stubbornness and stands up to him so that he understands that her submission is a gift and not a way for him to take advantage of her loving nature.  The heat between them has been there from the first argument we witnessed, flared out of control on their “one-night stand”, and finally carried them through all the traumas that tried to keep them apart in order to keep them together and allow their love to bloom.  I didn’t dislike a single moment of this entire reading experience, even when I was crying so hard I couldn’t see the words on the page and had to take a break.  I cannot WAIT for the next story and I warn you now, if you read that damn epilogue you’ll be torture for the next 4 months right along with me, so be wary.  Mari, not sure how you manage it, but as always you have blown my mind.

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