ARC Review: Steady and Strong (Italian Stallions #7)

Steady and Strong (Italian Stallions #7)

Mari Carr

Blurb:

Luca has resigned himself to a life as a bachelor. He’s watched all the Morettis fall in love, but nothing’s ever clicked for him. Until Harper…and Conor.

Former super model Harper has spent too much of her life living up to other people’s expectations of her. Perfect hair, perfect body, perfect boyfriends. For the first time ever, she’s able to forge her own path. New career, no more diets, and—hopefully—a relationship with a man of her choosing, one who sees past the pretty face to the person inside.

Conor has spent his entire life lost in the shadows, the forgotten Russo, but he’s decided it’s time for that to change. After all, both of his older brothers have found love. He’s determined it’s his turn, and that resolve gets a little push in the right direction when a new investment means he’ll be working with the man he’s always had a crush on. But if he likes Luca, why does he suddenly have feelings for Harper too?

Themes:  Menage

Rating: 4.5 stars

Heat Rating: 

Review:

 I have been so curious about this story since we got hints of it in the previous story when Conor let his feelings slip at the most unexpected moments.  It just goes to show us that we never really do know everything about someone that we thought we’ve known all of our lives and we never know all sides of a story without talking to everyone involved in a story. Mari Carr is one of my favorite authors in her ability to also shock readers with relationship, emotional upheaval and allowing characters to come to realizations about their own sexuality that they never might have otherwise. I have loved every story in this series as each of these sensually interesting men and women have found their match (or matches) in men and women that they might never have thought would complete them but are so obviously perfect for them. This newest installment brings together three people that shouldn’t be perfect in a relationship, should probably not even be friends on paper, but they turn out to be so perfect together that you wonder why you missed the perfection from the very beginning. I am dying for the last of the Moretti bachelors to fall after that captivating epilogue and I just cannot imagine how Mari is going to pull off another throuple given the circumstances, but I know that she will manage to have Joey, Miles and Lucy in the loving triad by the end of Kiss and Tell and that magic is perfect and I kind of hope for another spinoff but will bite my tongue on that hope until we learn more from Mari herself.

Conor Russo is truly out of his comfort zone in his newest business venture, taking on not only a sexy new business partner in Harper Branson but also trying to bury the hatchet on a lifetime of pain by working with Luca Moretti.  While the restaurant begins to encounter some strange happenstances, the three of them are spending more time together to deal with the setbacks, but that time together is bringing up a lot of personal feelings that none of them were prepared for. Conor once loved the sexy and laidback Luca, but after having his young heart broken, and spending a lifetime distancing himself from everyone, he is not sure he is willing to put himself out there again.  Harper has had her heart broken again and again, but the two sexy men that have quickly become so much more than friends are entrenching themselves in her heart.  Luca never once looked at Conor as anything more than a childhood friend, but as so many of his siblings and cousins have found their mates his eyes have opened and both Conor and Harper have captured made him.  But the closer they get to one another and to a successful opening, the more someone wants to stop them, and they have to protect their love and their future by opening up to one another if they have any chance at a HEA together.

These three have got to honestly be one of my favorite throuples since the original series that spawned this one (Wild Irish Series) and if Mari manages to top this in the future it will have to be true magic. Conor is the quintessential broken alpha hero; he had the type of childhood that really scars and leave an adult crippled emotionally, even as he functions and presents a good front to those around him.  Conor has managed to hide his problems from those around him all his adult life, but as he slowly begins to lose his heart to Harper and Luca, he comes to see that ability to hide might have been a hinderance more than a help. His intelligence, sweetness, determination, and protectiveness are wonderful traits, but the best part about him is his ability to bring out the best in others and show them part of themselves they never realized they were hiding.  Harper has been dealing with a lot as she changed not only her career but her entire life, but finding herself falling for two men was never in her plans.  She is beautiful, inside and out, but her dedication, sunny disposition, loving nature, and inability to given up on those she loves are what make her the perfect match for these two men.  She is obviously the light to Conor’s darkness and the calm to Luca’s hot temper, rounding out their triad perfectly.  Luca never imagined he’d find himself attracted, not only to a man but to Conor Russo, the friend that deserted him when they were teens.  While he knew the moment, he saw Harper that he was attracted, it took a little longer for him to understand that the tension between him and Conor was so much more than old hurt and temper, but once that understanding dawned and he accepted that attraction there was no denying that he was all in.   Luca’s hot Italian temper, spicy sensuality, hardworking determination, and his determination to drag Conor and Harper along even if reluctantly into a relationship show that while he might be pretty laidback, he is in no way a pushover. I loved getting to know all three of these characters, digging into their psyches, their fears, pasts, and their needs to see just how their individual puzzle pieces needed to come together to make that perfect triad.

Steady and Strong truly not only describes the individual characters in this story, but the love that develops between these three as they are first business partners, then friends before they take that leap into lovers. I loved getting to know Conor, Harper, and Luca, and experiencing their love as they got to know one another as well.  Conor is a loving, broken, caring, and devoted alpha that has spent so many years with a crippling fear of the future that has held him back from a loving relationship; when he finally allowed himself to open his heart to his lovers, he became the strong and balanced man he was always destined to be. Luca is a man that has never doubted the love of his family or his own fate in the world, but when his groundwork is rocked a bit, he goes with the flow and opens his mind and heart to allow for Conor and Harper to lead him into a world that is even more filled with laughter, love and fulfillment. His strength and passion are a perfect foil for the fears and pain that his lovers have face in their past and give their triad the strong foundation they need to move forward.  Harper is a sassy and sunshiny woman that has decided its time to make a change, and gone through with it without a backward glance, but meeting Luca and Conor definitely lead her to take even more chances and she never regrets it’s for a second.  The passion and pull between these three is apparent in the tension and chemistry from the very second, they are together, but the heat really takes off when they all begin to understand the emotions that have been hidden for years and there is no putting out that fire.  I am dying for the next book (Kiss and Tell), and I am hoping that more come in the series after that, or maybe another series afterward.  Mari Carr Is truly one of the best erotic romance authors I have ever had the pleasure of reading, intermingling sensuality, emotion, drama, and love in a way that leaves you wishing for more every time.

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

ARC Mini-Review: The Witch Queen of Halloween (Immortals After Dark #18.5)

The Witch Queen of Halloween (Immortals After Dark #18.5)

Kresley Cole

Blurb:

A demon soldier of fortune . . .

Rök Kours dives into a dangerous job, only to cross swords with the one woman who bewitched him.

A Wiccan mercenary . . .

Poppy Dyer has never let her uncontrollable magic interfere with her work, but she can barely withstand one demon's charms.

Trapped in a terrifying lair.

If the two rivals can defeat Halloween's worst nightmares to escape a haunted castle, can they overcome their pasts to claim a future together?

Themes:  Paranormal, Demons, Witches, Novella

Rating: 4.25 stars

Heat Rating: 

Review:

We have all been looking forward to the next story in the IAD series and I am thrilled to say this novella was worth the wait, even if it was a short read.  Rök and Poppy were hilarious and passionate even as they argued and fought their way out of some seriously terrifying and perilous situations.  Now I have to tell you I am NOT a fan of horror movies, in any way shape or form, but for those that are you will find this story even more amazing I think because you will probably recognize a lot more of the villains than I did, but overall, the plot and drama built beautifully.  Rök and Poppy had the beginnings of one beautiful night together years ago, but when it was interrupted, Rök never got the chance to make it up to her.  Poppy has held a grudge against the storm demon, a well-known womanizer, since that night and she has taken every opportunity to drive him insane.  Rök in the meantime has done everything in his power to bring Poppy into his orbit and give them a second chance and when he learns she will be alone on a quest on the night of Halloween he determines to join her and offer her his protection.  But as secrets are unveiled on both sides, they both have to come to terms with their pasts and accept that sometimes the truth is more outrageous than fiction. As always Kresley Cole is an amazing storyteller, leading us through a fascinating adventure that would make any Halloween buff thrilled, but you can never forget the characters that drive the story, the romance –as sometimes twisted as it can be—and the overriding arc that continues to build as the IAD series continues in the ascension. Poppy was an absorbing and captivating character with sass, attitude, and charm to spare and I loved seeing her blossom and find her footing in both her magic and her relationship with Rök. She has spent far too long in fear of herself and doubting her power and finally coming into her own and becoming the woman (and witch) she was destined to be, along with finding the male destined to love her forever showed her just how powerful she was always meant to be. Rök has lived a long and danger riddled life, but when he finally met Poppy, he found the woman he hoped would stand by his side and bring him some measure of happiness and his determination to make her see how great they will be together, to bring her around to trusting in him and them made me love him even more.  His strength, power, wit, passion, and unexpected sweetness made him the perfectly rounded alpha male in the typical KC way.  The heat between these two flares from beginning to end and there is no denying the sparks could burn down the world around them. I am dying to see more of them in future novels but even if we don’t, I will always remember them fondly. I cannot wait for the next KC book and know that whatever and whenever we get it, I will be one of the first in line for it.

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

ARC Review: Forewarned (Fated Love #1)

Forewarned (Fated Love #1)

Chantal Fernando

Blurb:

The fae spend their entire lives searching for their true mate.

But me? I know who my mine is. And I don't want him.

My name is Astrid. I'm a fae, a seer and a healer.

Not much scares me. But him?

That's the darkness I'm never going to let catch me.

Themes:  Romantic Fantasy

Rating: 4 stars

Heat Rating: 

Review:

Being a longtime fan of Chantal Fernando, I feel I have to be the first to warn other fans that this is going to be unlike any story of her you have read in the past. And the primary reason for that is that it wraps up with a terrifyingly well-written cliffhanger that is going to leave you clambering for the next book in the series.  Now I won’t lie, had I known the story wouldn’t be ending and the series was one of those that continues on with the journey of the main characters through several books I might not have picked it up, primary because I am not a huge fan of hanging endings, but I would have missed out of a great story for sure. Chantal’s new foray into the world of romantic fantasy is not to be missed and if you are a fan of paranormal romance, fae characters, magick, or any combination of the above I feel like you will be just as enraptured of the story as I was.  Forewarned has a lot of emotional intensity, drama, and craziness as Astrid faces her fears, tries to live with her choices, and learns to accept that sometimes she has to just let fate have its way.  I am dying for the next story and can’t imagine what will be coming for Astrid, but I know that ending will lead to some serious issues, and I suspect I have a couple of ideas where it might be leading but one just never knows, by I am sure Foretold will kick off with a serious bang.

Astrid is a fae, a seer and a healer and she has been in hiding since her powers showed her the future that was coming her when she was a young woman.  Her mate is not only the most terrifying fae alive, but he is also the most sensual being she has ever seen, and she knows he is destined to destroy her.  When she has to make a choice to possibly put herself directly in the path of her fated mate and risk losing herself forever or lose the only family she’s got left, she risks it all and confronts her destiny.  But that choice backfires in a big way.  Now she is on a runaway train and there is only one being she can look to and possibly offer any level of trust in to keep her safe, the mate she knows will destroy her. Rave, Prince of Shadows, is determined to make her his mate, but the more time they are together the more she loses herself to him, until she comes to think maybe she could love him.  And then a startingly truth comes to life and she is left with an impossible choice and has to again run from the terrifying man that could take her very life.

Astrid was an interesting dichotomy of strength and vulnerability from the very beginning.  She has never really interacted with the type of man she is faced to pit herself against with when she meets Rave and tries to pit her wit and sass against his experience and ruthlessness.  While she is terrified, she rarely lets it show and her bravely and willingness to protest those she loves seems boundless, and I could only say that I appreciated her for that.  I found a few times that her naivete in a few areas made me want to slap my forehead and question her sanity on several decisions and of course her unwillingness to just speak up and share her fears with Rave were confusing, but I suppose the tory need them in order to move in the direction it went.  That lack of deep trust and understanding led to so many misunderstandings and ultimately broke them, but the lack of communication is always what tears apart the best of relationships, so I wasn’t much surprised.  I likes Rave a lot, much more than a couple of his brothers, but I also wanted to kick him several times for being an ass.  I wanted him to just open his mouth and talk with Astrid, which might have kept so many of their problems from ever being problems, including the one that led to their ending. He is obviously a vicious and protective fighter, but I imagine he is just as malicious when he considers himself wronged, so Astrid will be in for some rough times in the next story once they are reunited.

Forewarned is the kind of story that is filled with worldbuilding, game play, and ultimately the kind of challenges that make for a good fantasy novel, but I surely wish I had known in the beginning it was a cliffhanger—just a reader preference.  Astrid is an intriguing character filled with insolence, sweetness, strength, and grit, but with passion for life and unwillingness to let anything crush her, even the mate that destiny has proclaimed as her own. I loved watching her slowly beginning to love and trust her new friends and family before a conniving witch came and ruined it all, sending her fleeing and (I suspect) set her up for a lot of hard times in the coming story.  Rave was a harder character to get to know, but I could see that he wasn’t quite as evil as Astrid’s fears made him out to be and was in fact a good man, possibly with a dark side, that was determined to keep his mate and show her they were well matched.  I do suspect that he will be angry as hell when he catches up to her in the coming story and his angry will lead him to make some seriously bad decisions that will make their relationship difficult, but I hope they can get past it. The passion between Rave and Astrid is there every second they are together and there is no denying they physically crave one another, and the chemistry is there, but the trust that they are slowly building is what finally gives us hope that love might be on the horizon.  I am seriously hoping the rest of this serious comes quickly because I am hooked now and can’t wait to see what happens for Rave and Astrid (not to mention finding out if my guess of what happens next is correct), and I would like to see what happens for the rest of Rave’s brothers as well.  Chantal Fernando strikes a chord with her ability to remind us that sometimes we should accept that fate knows best; sometimes surrendering to our fates is the smartest course of action as we make choices in life.

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

ARC Review: Fighting for Reese (Redemption Harbor Security #2)

Fighting for Reese (Redemption Harbor Security #2)

Katie Reus

Blurb:

She’s a grumpy security expert…

Reese doesn’t do relationships. Especially not with tall, sexy men with golden retriever energy. Nope, she prefers her men brooding and silent—with no strings attached. So when she hooks up with her gorgeous coworker after their friends’ wedding, she does what any sane woman would do. She runs.

He’s a sunshine badass…

Unfortunately for her, they’ve got to go undercover at a couples’ retreat which means one room, one bed, and a simmering heat neither of them can deny. Constantine—aka Cash to his friends—has been burned before because of his wealth. But Reese wants nothing to do with his money, which only intrigues him even more. Now that they’re sharing a room, his hot-and-cold vixen isn’t getting away from him again. But he’s got to keep them alive long enough to show that what they shared is more than a one-time thing. Something that proves more difficult when people around them start dying.

Themes:  Contemporary

Rating: 4.5 stars

Heat Rating: 

Review:

Usually when we talk about a grumpy/sunshine romance we kind of know what to expect, but Katie Reus manages as always to turn everything on its head in this new story of two people so obviously made for one another even if one of them is resisting it every step of the way. I have been really looking forward to this novel, ever since the characters first met in the previous novel and we watched sparks flying, and I enjoyed every moment of their story as it developed.  The Redemption Harbor Security Team is quickly becoming one of my favorite new series and I am really looking forward to the third installment coming soon, but in the meantime I just might reread Reese and Cash’s love story.  For anyone looking for the type of fast-paced and suspenseful romance, filled with twists that will leave you wondering if the main characters are going to make it in the end, I present to you the majesty of Fighting for Reese and welcome you to the world of Redemption Harbor.

Constantine Pierce, aka Cash, has started a new adventure along with his foster sister and her long time love in North Carolina, and one of the biggest draws to his new life is the sexy and irritable Reese Sinclair.  She has sparked his interest from the first time they matched wits when they worked together trying to rescue his kidnapped foster brother, and he has never given up hope that he would get a chance to prove to her they were meant to be together.  Reese can’t believe she gave into her weakness and slept with the golden boy charmer Cash, but now she has to find a way to work with him as his fiancée undercover in a very high stakes case. But the deeper they dig into the case, the more questions arise and the higher the threat level seems to be going, leaving Reese, Cash, and their partners right in the crosshairs of too many enemies for them to not have total trust in one another, even if they are fighting the passion and emotional pull they are feeling. They have to let go of their fears and emotional hang-ups in order to survive the dangers all around them, but if they survive, can they then find a way to build a life together or will Reese push Cash away once and for all?

Man where to even start with all the emotional trauma these two lovers had to overcome in order to accept one another.  Reese has lived a golden life, when you look at it from the outside, having grown up with a silver spoon and being given every leg up in life.  But the truth is that she lived her childhood without the one thing she needed the most, the love and mutual respect of her parents, which made her push them and their lifestyle away so that she could live her own life, even though she still loves them.  She has determined to make her own choices and not let their wants and desires for her future affect her, but that has also left her making choices that keep her from making emotional connections.  IT wasn’t until she finally allowed herself to admit that Cash had come to mean much more to her than even she expected that she opened her heart and allowed him to get his foot in the door.  Once she did that it didn’t take much for the love to blossom and she became a whole new woman emotionally.  Cash on the other hand made his own family with his foster siblings as a kid, then became his own man, always jumping from life goal to goal looking for the own thing in life that would keep him engaged fully, until he met Reese.  I think that meeting Reese he finally found the connection and goal that will keep in grounded and in place permanently.  While he has always been strong, dedicated and loving, he needed someone to shower all his love and passion on, not just a job to devote himself to, but a person that he could give his whole heart to.  These two obviously were the missing piece of one another and once they began to realize and accept that their lives and their love became beautiful to experience.

The storyline that backed Reese and Cash’s love story was scary suspenseful and full of so many plot twists that I also most got lost more than once, and not going to lie there were several times I found myself asking “did I really just read that?”  Reese is an expert behind the computer, but being out in the field she has to count on her teammate to not only keep them all alive, but also to help her work through all the craziness they encounter, and the emotions that she and Reese are hiding from as they slowly fall in love certainly aren’t helping.  Cash is determined to do whatever it takes to keep Reese and the others safe, but that protectiveness puts him right in the line of fire more than once; he is obviously the brawn and the badass for their team and I loved seeming taking names and defeating enemies.  The passion these two share is never far from the frontlines, whether they are fighting, teasing, or loving, and the am so glad they found their HEA and look forward to seeing more of them in coming novels.   The nest novel is going to be even more sparky because no one does enemies to lovers better than Katie and Adalyn is going to make Rowan seriously work for it (Fighting for Adalyn). A supreme pleasure diving into this read as always, Ms. Reus.

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

ARC Review: Just One More Moment (The Sterling Family #1)

 Just One More Moment (The Sterling Family #1)
Carly Phillips

Blurb:

She thinks happily ever after only happens in romance novels.

He can’t wait to prove her wrong…

Falling in love is not on Raven Walsh’s agenda. Running from her past keeps her way too busy for that. She can, however, handle a friends-with-benefits scenario with the hot billionaire who co-owns The Back Door bar. But trusting him with her heart? Not a chance…

Remington Sterling has had his eye on the smart and sexy Raven since she started waitressing at his bar. He knows she’s gun-shy where relationships are concerned. But he’s ready to do whatever it takes to convince her he’s worth the risk…

When Raven’s secrets catch up to her in a big way, she must decide if the potential cost of trusting Remy is more than she’s willing to pay—and Remy will need to figure out how far he’s willing to go for love…

Themes:  Contemporary

Rating: 4.25 stars

Heat Rating: 

Review:

I have been looking forward to this new direction from favorite author Carly Phillips since I learned the inside scoop months ago and I am proud to say that she has managed to segue beautifully from a long-running and beloved series into this new and exciting family that I am looking forward to learning all about.  For fans of the Dare World, we recently got to know Remy Sterling very well as he intermingled with Zach Dare and his siblings, being Zach’s best friend and business partner, but a dangerous individual from an affluent family in his own right. It has been fascinating to learn about his family and see where this series will be taking as we come to understand that even though they have always had money, they haven't had it any easier than the rest of us, dealing with loss, fear, and pain.  I am dying to find out more about everyone in his family and see how they cope with the coming changes in their lives, finding love, and finally learning to forgive others and themselves for their pasts.  The next in the series, Remy’s adopted brother Dex is going to be very interesting and I can already tell will be a killer as we get to reunite with a favorite character from the Dare world and see them find love together, hopefully.  Carly truly never ceases to amaze me as she digs into her heart and imagination to bring these characters to life and make them seem so tangible in our hearts.

Remy Sterling has had his eye on Raven Walsh since she began managing his bar and grill and he knows that there could be something special between them, if only she would stop putting up walls between them.  Raven knows that being with Remy would be a danger to him and all those he loves, despite the fact that she wants so badly to be with him.  When he catches her at a week moment she finds it impossible to resist him, but she has her rules and she is determined to keep him at arm’s length.  Then her it begins to look like her past is catching up with her.  The danger she has been hiding from has found her and is taunting and threatening her mentally and physically and there is no way that Remy is going to stand for that. But as the danger escalates so do the emotions for Remy and Raven, until it becomes clear that they are more than just friends with benefits.  Now they just need to survive long enough to have a chance at a future together.

Raven is one of those women that you just know you can be friends with if she would allow herself to relax her guard long enough in order to make friends.  She has been living on the edge for so long, trying to protect those around her from going through what a past friend did that she hasn’t been able to have anyone in her corner or anyone to lean on beyond her brother.  I loved that she finally found a way to release those walls with Remy and that she came to trust him enough to not only protect her but end her torment once and for all. She is a passionate, clever, sweet, and loving sister, aunt, friend, and lover when she is finally given the chance to let go of her fears and seeing her get that chance once she and Remy defeated her tormentor was beautiful. Remy is such a strong, smart, dedicated and loving character, one that I can honestly say I wouldn’t mind having in my life or my bed.  It was obvious from the very beginning that he was going to be a life changing force of good for Raven, but I don’t think she realized just how much he was going to be changing her life when she agreed to a friends with benefits arrangement with a the dominant but sexy man who had become her friend.  Remy is not going to let any danger come to Raven and he is not going to let her pull away from him now that he finally has a chance to prove to her that they can have a happy life together. There was no denying that he had his own ideas of how to get his way, but he didn’t walk over anyone and he cared deeply for not just his family, but his friends and employees, not the least of which was Raven who had stolen his heart.

Just One More Moment is one of those stories that grabs you by the heart strings from the very first words, then tunnels in and refuses to release you until the very end.   I was transfixed as I watched Remy and Raven navigated this sometimes rocky and terrifying relationship as they found a way out of the darkness they’d been living in and into a world where they could openly live together in the light. Raven has lived so long in the shadows of her past, a past that scarred her and left her with very few allies in life and a fear for letting anyone close every again.  Remy has his own darkness in his past, but he has worked hard to atone and move forward, even though it sometimes still colors his relationship choices.  Together they can conquer their problems and defeats the enemy that is out to prevent them from ever having their HEA, but the trust that they have to share is one that neither of them have ever had in a partner and it has to come quickly.  The passion is there and the friendship is slowly growing, but the love is one that takes a bit of time and when is finally flourishes we know that no evil will ever stop it or knock it down. I loved every moment of this story and cannot wait for Dex’s story (Just One MoreDare) because I know that one is going to be explosive.  Carly has truly outdone herself with this new series and she is just starting!

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

Cover Reveal: Forewarned by Chantal Fernando

 🖤 𝒞𝒪𝒱𝐸𝑅 𝑅𝐸𝒱𝐸𝒜𝐿 🖤

I’m so excited to finally be able to share with you the cover of my upcoming #ROMANTASY book 𝓕𝓸𝓻𝓮𝔀𝓪𝓻𝓷𝓮𝓭 which is due out on March 26th.  I’m so in love with these characters and this world. 😍

As I step aside from my normal MC genre I hope you take a chance on me and check this book out. 

It’s currently available for pre-order on all platforms however on release day it will be removed on all other platforms and go exclusively into #KindleUnlimited so if you read on any other platform than Amazon - pre-order now to secure. 

𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐞’𝐬 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭:

𝐆𝐞𝐧𝐫𝐞:  Romance Fantasy 

𝐓𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐬

👉 Fates Mates

🖤 Enemies To Loves 

👉 Opposites Attract 

🖤 Touch her and die 

👉 He falls first 

🖤 Shadow Daddy 

𝐁𝐋𝐔𝐑𝐁:

The fae spend their entire lives searching for their true mate. 

But me? I know who my mine is. 

And I don't want him.

My name is Astrid. I'm a fae, a seer and a healer.

Not much scares me. But him? 

That's the darkness I'm never going to let catch me.

Pre-order is available now on all platforms however this will go into Kindle Unlimited on release day. 

𝐏𝐑𝐄-𝐎𝐑𝐃𝐄𝐑 𝐇𝐄𝐑𝐄:

https://books2read.com/u/mBApBp

Goodreads: Coming Soon 

#coverreveal #chantalfernando #fantasyromance #preorder #chantalfernandobooks #comingsoon 

ARC Review: Brutal Capo (Syndicate Rules #5)

Brutal Capo (Syndicate Rules #5)

Lucy Monroe

Blurb:

BIANCA

I'm hiding in plain sight from the mafia. But when the don finds out who I am, he demands I marry the capo who broke my heart.

SALVATORE

She betrayed me. Or so I think until that fateful day when my don gives me a choice. Make it right and marry her. Or death.

Themes:  Contemporary, Mafia

Rating: 4.25 stars

Heat Rating:

Review:

We are returning to New York, where it all began, in this latest installment of the Syndicate Rules series by Lucy Monroe as we get to see the story of a lost Mafia princess and the intense and sometimes terrifying Capo that steals her heart and never lets her go. I have been a huge fan of Lucy’s for years now, but I have to tell you that I was more than a little bit leery of her new foray into this world of Mafia romances, but I gave it a try when she released the first story and I was instantly hooked.  Each new story has been interesting, darkly romantic, and filler with so many fascinating charters in a world I have no experience with.  Bikers, military, cowboys, all of these tropes I can relate to because I have lived those lives and dated those men, but learning about Mafia men and the women that find their place beside them without losing themselves has been an intriguing experience to say the least.  I am very much looking forward to the next story, Miceli’s book, and getting to return to the New York mafia and see some of my favorite characters again.  If you haven’t tried your hand at this dark sub-genre of romance, I highly recommend scooping up the Syndicate rules and enjoy the ride.

Bianca Gemelli has been in hiding for almost a decade, right under the nose of those she ran from for the past few years, and now she is ready to move on to a new job, but she lands herself even closer to the mafia she ran from.  Salvatore De Luca is beyond taken with sexy new waitress in his club and is determined to have her, but she resists him at every turn, fighting him despite seeming to understand just how powerful in his.  But when she is almost killed in an attack, there is no way that he is going to let her get away from him and he installs her in his home, determined to nurse her back to health and then make her his in every way that she can be.  Bianca knows that being with the dangerous Capo could put her right into the crosshairs of her enemies, but despite knowing intellectually she has to get away from him, she can’t bring herself to leave him.  As their bond grows overtime, Bianca and Salvatore each find their emotions and passions running away from them and there is no denying them.  When the truth of Bianca’s past comes to light they have to fight for the chance neither of them realized they wanted for a future together and the happiness they can have together.

Bianca has had a seriously crappy life and I feel terrible for the parents she was stuck with, and that means a lot with the mother I have.  She is doing everything she can to survive, but also to improve herself and find a way to grow into a woman that will have a better life.  While she hasn’t lived the most glamourous life the last decade, she has worked hard and is proud of what she has accomplished despite the obstacles she has faced and the traumas she has dealt with.  With only a single real friend to give her a step up, Bianca doesn’t trust easily, but she comes to understand that even in la famiglia there are good people that will support and protect her, not the least of which is Salvatore that will kill or die to protect even the smallest hair on her head, even when he doesn’t understand his own feelings for her. Salvatore on the other hand comes across in the beginning as an arrogant twat with a dominant streak who refuses to accept the word now.  More than once there were times I was sure I would never warm up to liking Salvatore and almost wished he wasn’t the hero of the story, but he slowly grew on me as he did Bianca and I came to understand that he was just so closed off that he could understand his own need to push and punish.  Once Bianca gained his trust –even though there was a blip that almost cost them everything—Salvatore opened his home and heart to her and the emotions that he began to show beneath his gruff exterior made him more likable.  I have to say while he wasn’t my favorite of the Syndicate men, I came to understand him and am glad that he found a way to open up to Bianca.

Sometimes you come across one of those stories that you never understood would be so impactful to a series, but I have to tell you that this one seems to have been a real game changer for the whole series.  Bianca and Salvatore’s story was wrapped up in so many changes for the syndicates that the whole crime world might soon be changes for these boys and their love might have prevented disaster in a few ways.  Bianca is one of those women that is a pure survivor, living her life and finding a way to thrive despite everything that is thrown at her, and finding love in the most unexpected of places and men.  Salvatore was raised in the harshest of ways, knowing he would grow to be a fierce Capo, ruling beside his cousin, and he has to learn many lessons in life, but when he finally finds Bianca he learns that sometimes maintaining humanity and giving love can keep you can crossing the line over into becoming truly dark. The passion between these two is palpable from the very first moment and there is no way they were not going to end up together, but the love that develops was surprisingly sweet and reminds us that even the hardest of hearts can meet their match.  I am dying for the next book and hope there are more to come after that as well.  Lucy has struck a nerve for me with this series and she manages to keep is exciting, enlightening, and passionate, but be warned mafia romances are always going to have a dark edged, so don’t dive in if you can’t handle a Brutal Capo or two.

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

ARC Review: Endless Skye (Skye Druids #4)

Endless Skye (Skye Druids #4)

Donna Grant

Blurb:

Passion comes with a price…

For Willa Ryan, family is everything. So, when her brother asks her to locate a book of unparalleled power, she doesn’t hesitate. Except she does more than find it. She attempts to steal it, and in the process, ends up running for her life—straight into the arms of a man waiting to rescue her. Jasper is unlike anyone she’s ever met, and she’s helpless to resist the undeniable passion between them. But desire always comes at a cost.

Jasper McCabe is a master of disguise and deception, and he uses both ruthlessly. Yet nothing can prepare him when he comes face-to-face with the breathtaking women he’s supposed to use for his ruse. Every instinct screams for him to run as far from Willa as he can. But there’s no escape from the captivating Druid and the feelings she awakens. With his darkest enemies closing in, Jasper is forced to choose with his heart, or lose the woman who is his one chance at salvation.

Themes:  Paranormal, Magick, Druids

Rating: 4 stars

Heat Rating: 

Review:

This series continues to get more and more complicated as the plot twists and turns through each of the books in the series.  Donna Grant has a unique way of intertwining series, characters, and plots to make one epic and fantastic experience. I have followed Donna through the entire Dark World series for year now and am a huge fan and the deeper the arcs get the more interested I find myself.  With this latest installment in the Skye Druids series, Donna takes us into the story of two people on opposite sides of the war that suddenly find themselves drawn together and having to come together to find the real enemies out to bring down those out to end all Druids and their allies. Willa Ryan is running for her life after taking a stupid risk, but one she’d hoped would pay off in the fight against the enemy, and now she is not sure she will survive long enough to make it to Skye and the safety of the Druids and her brother.  She arrives on the island, but she is barely conscious and is discovered by Jasper McCabe, but he is much more than an innocent bystander.  Jasper is on the island on a mission, one that puts Willa right in his sights and he will use his considerable skills of deception and seduction in order to find his way into the Skye Druid’s inner circle through Willa.  But Jasper soon comes to understand that he is on the wrong side and that the connection he feels for Willa is very real and he is risking everything fighting a battle not his own.  Working with Willa and the Skye Druids might be the only way to redeem himself, but the enemy is determined to make sure that he doesn’t live long enough to make a difference, and Willa has to risk it all to save the man she is coming to understand that she is falling for.  Can these two enemies turned lovers find a way through the darkness or will they lose their one chance at a love greater than they ever imagined?

I was thrilled that we would get to meet Willa, Scott’s sister, and she would bet getting her own HEA, but I was very surprised that she would be faced with the challenges she was.  She was a strong character, but once she was hurt she allowed the anger and betrayal to hide the hurt.  It was obvious that she feel hard for Jasper and that he almost broke her when he betrayed her, but I wish she had been more willing to listen and forgive as it was obvious he’s had a difficult and lonely life while she was always loved and cared for.  But it was great to see her finally learn to stand up for herself, with the help of some of the other Skye Druid ladies, and demand her place on the team.  Jasper was an enigma for sure, but it was also obvious that he’s had a lot of time in his life that he was alone, especially once you learn the truth of his original and his youth.   While it is true that he lied to Willa and the others from the beginning, he didn’t do it maliciously or without a logically reason –in his mind—so I think he deserved more grace than he was offered by most of the team.  I loved to see how he turned up and proved himself, fighting hard to show that he was a good, man, but we should always be given some benefit of the doubt and not have to almost kill ourselves to prove our goodness to others.  There was obviously chemistry and a connection between Willa and Jasper from the beginning and I enjoyed seeing that become love, even if it did seem very fast.

The overreaching plot within this story became super complicated as the couple of plot lines we were dealing with before seemed to have multiplied as the story concluded, instead of any one of them wrapping up.  I understand that keeping plots open to extend the series is a good thing, but I would have loved something to have a conclusion.  To be honest it is becoming harder and harder to write the reviews on this series because it’s nearly impossible to do so without giving something away.  That said I loved the story and am looking forward to reading the next in the series, though I continue to hope we get back to the older format where the romance and the emotional growth of the couple gets more page time.  Whatever comes next for the series, which I get the impression might be Carlyle’s story, I can tell you I am dying to see what happens will all of these individual plot lines and the overall weave of everything together.  Donna’s dexterity with a complex narrative is comparative to a master weaver with a beautiful tapestry and I cannot wait for the final masterpiece.

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