ARC Review: Last First Kiss (Montgomery Ink Legacy #5)

Last First Kiss (Montgomery Ink Legacy #5)

Carrie Ann Ryan

Blurb:

The Montgomery Ink Legacy series continues with a workplace fling romance that starts off with a literal bang. Daisy Montgomery Knight is about to meet her match when it comes to Hugh Hendrix.

 One look across the aisle at a wedding and I fell in lust.

 He’s on the bride’s side. I’m on the groom’s.

But by the end of the night, we’re against a wall, over a table…and in bed.

I’m prepared never to see him again except in my memories. 

Only the next week things become awkward: I’m his new boss. 

And it turns out he’s just as demanding outside of the sheets as beneath them. 

We need to stay away from each other—he has his demons, as well as an adorable little girl, and I’m trying to heal after a job gone wrong. 

I know I need to walk away…even if neither one of us wants to. 

Themes:  Erotica

Rating:  4.25 stars

Heat Rating: 

Review:

We have been wondering just what kind of man was going to be matched with our sweet  Daisy Montgomery Knight for a while now, but to be honest I never saw this one coming, and as ever Carrie Ann manages to give her readers and fun and engaging experiences without tearing us up too much.  Daisy’s story is really a bit of a continuation from the previous story, where she was injured when a warehouse she was inspecting exploded, leaving the whole Montgomery Security team on edge and over-protective while leaving Daisy less than he usual badass self.  But she is struggling to get back to her normal routine and when she goes toa  friend’s wedding, she is struck by an unexpected and intense desire for the sexy brit that is in attendance as well.  Hugh Hendrix is finally finding his footing in Colorado for daughter and himself, but when family obligation lands him at a wedding of a childhood friend he never imagines he’ll spent a passionate and unforgettable night with a beautiful woman.  Both Daisy and Hugh determine to leave their one night and that, not sharing anything else about themselves, but it backfires no them in a big way when they learn that Hugh is the newest hire at Montgomery Security and Daisy is now his defacto boss.  They are determined to not allow their passionate night to disrupt their working relationship or allow the others to know the truth, but son they are just as determined to learn if their passionate night could be something more and start dating.  Their relationship develops quickly, with Daisy and Hugh’s young daughter Lucy fostering an emotional connection and Lucy being enfolded into the Montgomery bubble, but they are both reticent  by the speed and depth of their connection.   When it becomes clear that Daisy is being targeted by an enemy, the Montgomery’s begin to circle the wagons and Hugh has to find a way to show Daisy that he supports her without overwhelming her, but can their evolving love and trust withstand the challenges they are facing or will it be too late for them?

I absolutely loved this story, the connection between Daisy and her family or course was unbeatable, but that’s never missing from any of Carrie Ann’s story, but the way that Hugh loved his girl and stepped in the fill the voids that other’s left in her life was just beautiful.  Daisy has had to struggle to find her place in the group of big and tough Montgomery men, but she is a strong and independent woman that is willing to fight for herself and those she loves.  I enjoyed watching her with Hugh and Lucy as she found a way to share her softer emotions with a little girl that needed a mother and the love a woman in her life, much like Lucy had as a girl.  The parallels that Ryan presented in the two females was not overdone, but just beautifully alluded to and showed Hugh that once her shared his daughter with Daisy she would understand that gift and never take it for granted.  Hugh was an enigma a bit, a man that had given up so much in his life for his daughter, but didn’t seem to understand that his closed heart would ultimately be a bad example for his daughter.  It is obvious to me, as a daughter of divorce, that the best thing for him was to find a true love and open his heart so that he could show Lucy so that love truly does exist and it does stick, and when he finally did that with Daisy in the end it was amazing.  I loved the passion that was there between Daisy and Hugh from the beginning and that they allowed it to settle into a simmer when they needed to build something more substantial later.  The love between these two that comes from a one-night stand truly proves that sometimes we truly don’t appreciate the significance when we share that Last First Kiss. As always Carrie Ann kills us in that last chapter with a glimpse of what is coming next for the Montgomery brood and now I am dying for the next book (His Second Chance), but in the meantime I now that the love between Daisy and Hugh will keep me warm and bring me happy dreams.

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

ARC Mini-Review: Happily Ever Maybe (Montgomery Ink Legacy #4.5)

 Happily Ever Maybe (Montgomery Ink Legacy #4.5)

Carrie Ann Ryan

Blurb:

It was only supposed to be one job.

 

I know the rules.

Get in. Get out.

Protect the girl, then move on.

Only it never works out the way it should.

Now Jennifer and I work with each other and there’s no going back to normal.

 

Then it turned into something more.

 

Gus isn’t for me. I know that.

Only the chemistry that burns between us won’t fade away.

We promise it will only be one night.

Then another.

But when our actions have consequences that could mean the end of our future, we’ll have to figure out exactly what we want.

Even if it means walking away broken before it begins.

 

Themes:  Erotica

Rating: 4 stars

Heat Rating: 

Review:

I’m not sure if it is the air in those Colorado mountains or just sharing space with those Montgomery’s, but I want whatever it is that creates just a combustible atmosphere and brings lovers together! Carrie Ann Ryan strikes again in a story about two of the Montgomery friends finding love, through lust, and their story is not only fast past, intense, and sensual, but emotionally confusing and just so packed with all the things, I’m not sure how she managed it all in such a short story. Jennifer and Gus have been circling one another for a while now, ever since they became coworker in the Montgomery security company, but when the temptation can no longer be resisted they give in to the attraction in a big way, promising one another it will only be one night. But now they are both feeling so much more than before and there are even more consequences that they have to deal with.  Can two partners and best friends find a way to admit that their feelings have become much deeper, and can they do it before they lose something beautiful? I positively loved this story, even though I would have loved it to be so much longer, but sometimes needs must.  As a short interlude between Montgomery main reads, Jen and Gus were perfect.  Jen has such a hard shell around her that you wonder what it will take for Gus to break through and get to the soft center of her heart, but once he finally manages it, the emotional connection between them is obvious. Gus is such a protective, sweet, and loving guy that there is no doubt he will do everything for his woman, even if it means fighting her or stepping back when it kills him to do so.  I loved the way these two pushed and pulled one another but ultimately found the balance to have the perfect relationship for them, even though it might not have looked perfect to others. The passion and connection between them were more than obvious every moment they were even thinking about one another and I cannot wait to see more of them in future Montgomery stories.  Carrie Ann Ryan sure knows how to hook her readers and pull us in, even with only a few short and intriguing chapters.  All hail the Queen of Colorado Hotties!

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

ARC Review: The Wrath (Rise of the Warlords #4)

The Wrath (Rise of the Warlords #4)

Gena Showalter

Blurb:

For centuries, Rathbone the Only, King of Agonies, has existed for one recovering the enchanted bones of his slain wife to bring her back to life. He’s never been closer to success. But a new enemy has risen. A band of deadly war gods who have thirty days to destroy her or suffer the consequences. With time running out, Rathbone hires a maddening harpy-oracle, unaware she has an agenda of her own.

Neeka the Unwanted is a fierce warrior on a stop Rathbone  and  the gods. She’s seen the future if either is victorious, and it’s horrifying. She’ll do whatever proves necessary to forge a new path, even seduce the ruthless royal from his purpose. What she can’t predict? How the intense male will shatter her hard-won defenses along the way.

As Rathbone battles unexpected betrayals, cunning foes and the wild temptress he craves with every fiber of his being, he knows he must hold on to a cold dream or embrace a new flame.

Themes:  Paranormal

Rating: 4.25 stars

Heat Rating:  

Review:

Well, that was completely unexpected in the best of ways.  When we first learned the names of the characters to be featured in this story I knew right away it was going to be amazing because Neeka is a crazy harpy with so many sides to her and so much going on in that brain of hers that there was no way it couldn’t be hilarious, but I had no clue just what I was in for. The combination of Rathbone and Neeka’s personalities was combustible and even when they were on opposite sides and not seemingly fighting for the same goals you were left wondering how they were not seeing that they were so obviously made for one another. As usual Gena’s twisty and twiny storyline keeps you wondering what the heck is going on and just how they are going to pull out a win for the  lovers right up to the very last moment, but I never doubted that Rathbone and Neeka would kick butt and find a way to have the love to defeat all enemies.  I really look forward to what could be coming next because every book seems impossible to top, but Gena manages to do it every time.

Rathbone has spent centuries attempting to resurrect his late wife, and he is very close to succeeding, but now he has to defeat one of the Astra in order to reach his goal.  Looking for a leg-up in his quest, he enlists the assistance of the slightly off-balance Harpy oracle Neeka the Unwanted, but she has her own goals in the war with the Astra and Rathbone.  Neeka has seen so many possible futures and forgotten too much information, but she knows that is she allows Rathbone to succeed in his quest it will mean the death of all those she loves and she refuses to allow that.  Working with him, while at the same time thwarting him in small ways, she slowly begins to feel more for him than just intense desire and it is proving not to be one-sided.  For the first time in centuries, Rathbone is questioning his future and his feelings for his bride, but when a betrayal he never sees coming almost costs him the harpy he is coming to love, he has to decide how much he is willing to lose and what he really wants from his future.

I truly loved every moment of this story.  It was filled with so many revelations for both Neeka and Rathbone as they found themselves changing and growing together.  Rathbone has spent far too long stuck on the idea of his perfect woman, but the more he desires and comes to care for Neeka the more his eyes are opened to the truths around him and the facts he has overlooked for so long. He has kept his head buried in the sand for so long, hiding behind hurt and feelings of abandonment, but when Neeka finally shows him that someone can care for him just the way he is, with no restrictions or need to change, he learns the true meaning of love.  His strength, determination, subtle sweetness, and willingness to support the woman he loves man him an interesting character once you dug through the badass King of the Underworld persona.  Neeka was an interesting harpy for sure; with her own mommy issues, fears of inadequacy, and worries about not succeeding in her goals, she is constantly on the move in her attempts to prevent the futures she sees.  I enjoyed her wackiness and her ability to just let it fly when something comes out of her mouth, but the best part of her personality was the way she always sacrificed and battled for those she loved, even at the cost of herself.  There is truly no greater hero in my opinion than those that will do anything, even give up their own lives and happiness, if it protects those that they consider theirs.

While I assumed that this story was going to revolve around the next Astra finding his mate, it was really only loosely connected to that series in my opinion, in the fact that it was centered around the next Astra challenge, which was a new idea for a connected series. The main core of the story is the connection and love that developed between Rathbone and Neeka as they worked together, which at many times seemed to have been working against the Astra. I enjoyed getting to delve into the winding and somewhat mazelike psyche of Neeka and see her find her way not only to a future where she saves those she loves, but also where she gets her HEA with Rathbone.  She has had a trying life to this point to say the least and getting to see her find some happiness was rewarding. Rathbone was a jerk for a large portion of the book, making me wish I had the option to reach out and kick him right in the nuts, but as that is not possible, I am glad that more than once he got his butt handed to him. Luckily he pulled his head out of his ass and found a way to open his heart to Neeka.  The Chemistry between Neeka and Rathbone is undeniable and when they spend more and more time together it becomes and powder keg ready to ignite more than once, and when it finally does it blows sky high.  I really loved that Gena gave us a hint of what will be coming next and I am now looking forward to that even more, but the wait is certainly going to be torturous.  Gena never fails to prove that some people are just made to be writers and some of us are made to be their fangirls.

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

Through the Glen Release today!

Through the Glen by Samantha Young is now live! 

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.

  Download today or read for FREE with Kindle Unlimited

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