All That I Am (Men of Monroe #1) by Rachel Brookes

Blurb:

A kickass home décor boutique – tick
A sassy mouth and absolutely no filter – tick
A wall so strong no man could ever tear it down - tick, tick, tick!

Or so I thought.

Until I meet Detective Ben Hunt, the owner of exquisite blue eyes, a god-like physique and a seductive smirk that makes me weak at the knees. He charges into my life like a force of nature. No matter how hard I try to keep the walls up around my heart, he’s made it his mission to shatter them. I have no chance of resisting him, but I would make sure I won this tug of war.

Which was what I wanted.

Right? When did the idea of losing myself to him start to sound so good?

I wish Ben was the only battle I faced. There’s a reason this small town needs a good detective. One way or another I’m going to have to brace for impact, because no wall I build can stop the new threat thundering toward Monroe.

After all, secrets only stay a secret for so long around here.

Find on Goodreads

Purchase Links:

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/2rDNoSr...
Amazon UK: http://bit.ly/ATIA-amazonUK
Amazon AU: http://bit.ly/ATIA-amazonAU
Amazon CA: http://amzn.to/2r2DjRY.

Kristine's Review:

Reviewed: May 2017.

When Rachel Brookes first spoke of All That I Am over a year ago, the thought of midtown American filled with these alpha broody men had me intrigued, I mean was it based on a real place, could I visit there?? The Author often teased that ATIA would be different to her previous books, and for a fan of her earlier work, statements like that could be met with equal parts eager anticipation and trepidation. Change after all is good, but there's often a healthy sense of fear that you may not love what comes next. In Brookes' newest release she shows a growth that even I as a seasoned reader wasn't anticipating, there's certainly a deeper realisation of her characters, one that is sure to resonate deeply with old and new readers alike.

"The scariest part wasn't what he said. The scariest part was how it made me feel."

For a self confessed lover of Alpha Hero's Brookes certainly created the strong, brooding type to a tea, Ben Hunt comes across as gruff and demanding, hard edged and tightly controlled, he commands a certain air of authority that his career belies. Hunt is clearly not a man to be trifled with, as a decorated Detective he is clearly a shrewd operator, determined to undercover the worst of society and put them behind bars where they can't hurt anyone else.

"My heart screamed as his words penetrated. How could I love what he said but in the next breath want to erase every memory I had of him."

On the outset Sasha Hamilton is all sass and bravado, she's strong, determined and independent, she's had enough knock downs and set backs in her life to have learnt how to look after herself, she's been meticulous in surrounding herself with a small group of people she trusts, to those outside her circle Sasha is the girl about town, who's carefree and loving life, but on the inside she's still weathering the effects of one too many past hurts to fully trust anyone or let them in.

"Give me the keys to your heart, Sweetheart. You won't regret it. Let me get in there and start clearing out the hurt. I don't want to keep losing you."

When the hot headed Hunt and smart mouthed Sasha collide both of their lives shift, it's a battle of wills, where they need to be prepared to bend and break to have a chance at something permanent and real. Brookes' flexes ability to create the kind of angsty, suspense that romance readers love, with a sense of foreboding that overshadows so much of this story, I felt myself simultaneously wanting to read more and savour what I was sure to be short lived moments of peace. With a heady mix of impending fear, and heart swelling joy, All That I Am struck all the right notes for a book that felt almost impossible to put down. For fans of Kristen Ashley, lovers of dirty talking, raw and masculine absolute alpha males, of strong and fiery heroines who seem to come back swinging no matter how many times the world seems to knock them down, for fans of steamy romance with a side of edge of your seat suspense, and most importantly, for readers who want to be immersed so deeply in their books that they don't ever want to leave All That I Am is for you.

"Let me be the man who gives you the life a woman as incredible as you deserves."

About Rachel Brookes:

Rachel Brookes is from the east coast of Australia and writes angst ridden love stories with a pinch of craziness, a dash of drama, a cup of romance, and a bucketload of sexiness. With five novels currently published, she is constantly writing and getting ready to release her next hero and heroine into the world. An avid reader, Rachel can often be found with her kindle in her hand, and getting lost in a happily ever after. She has an unhealthy obsession with The Walking Dead, and social media, and loves hearing from readers.

Connect with Rachel on Facebook

Drop Dead Sexy by Katie Ashley - ARC Review

Blurb:

For Olivia Sullivan, love is more a four letter curse word than a sentiment. Growing up as the daughter of a small town mortician, guys didn’t warm to the fact there were dead people in her house. At thirty, taking over the family business and becoming the town Coroner helped to cement her undateable status. Of course her past sex history didn’t help matters either.

Attempt number one with her first love ended barely before it got started with a horrific latex allergy hospitalization. Attempt number two had him coming and then going with an undiagnosed heart condition. For the past three years, Olivia has closed up shop for fear of what might happen next in the bedroom.

After being forced to go single to her mother’s lingerie shower, Olivia stumbles into an out of town bar with one intention: find an able bodied stud to go home with to end her losing sex streak. Enter Holden Caulfield Mains aka Catcher, who earned his nickname not just from the book he was named for, but for the fact he was sure to catch the attention any woman who came within a five mile radius. Waking up after a night of the most mind blowing sex she could have ever imagined, a horrified Olivia runs away thinking she’s left Catcher behind.

When Olivia’s small town is wracked by its first murder, she never could have imagined her one night stand would reappear in the form of the GBI’s lead investigator. To her mortification, Catcher isn’t ready to let go of their sizzling chemistry, and he doesn’t understand the meaning of no. As things start to heat up between them, the body count starts to rise, and they’re led on a wild goose chase from back woods mountain Nudist Colonies to altercations with the Dixie Mafia. Can Olivia and Catcher survive to solve the murder while also not succumbing to their explosive passion?

Find on Goodreads

Purchase Links:

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/253Avzm
Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/1Uf66Ku
Amazon CA: http://amzn.to/1SRQXOj
Amazon AU: http://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B01D05ZR4U

Kristine's Review:
Reviewed: March 2016.

People often lament about having bad luck with sex and relationships, it's often a joke or two at their own expense about a guy that kisses liked a fish, or one that gets a little too excited a little too quickly if you catch my drift, we've all had those moments in he past where we look back and cringe and try to erase the memory of said event from our minds, for Olivia Sullivan, well she's had more bad luck than most. From the very first page I was giggling and doing that awkward cringe we do when something goes so horrendously wrong that you can't help but laugh, despite knowing you shouldn't. After too many years of back luck and self imposed abstinence Olivia is ready to get back on the horse so to speak, in a backwoods town where no one knows her name, or her past, she meets Catcher Mains, he's confident, sexy, charismatic and within only moments of meeting her can read her like a book. Life is all about fun and adventure right? Throwing caution to the wind sounds like the perfect remedy to a life that's become stagnant and boring, shedding off her usual coroner digs Olivia is going to get back in the saddle and Catcher is just the man she needs.

One night stands are meant to be fun and frivolous, filled with hours of mutual pleasure, and in the morning you're supposed to go your separate ways, or at least that's how she thinks they are supposed to go, but when a local ends up dead from a gunshot wound, clearly a sign of foul play Olivia, resident mortician and county coroner is called up to bat. In a town that hasn't seen a homicide in years, the only option is to call in agents from the GBI, that's Georgia Bureau of Investigations, when none other that the man who rocked her world, Catcher Mains, walks into her crime scene - Olivia is stuck somewhere between wanting to recreate every dirty and delicious detail of their night together and wanting to punch him in the face for not telling her who he was.

Olivia has without a doubt had a good life, not withstanding her unfortunate luck in the dating department, she has a family she loves, a cousin who's like a sister and a small town who love and support her, but despite all of the good she has she can't help wishing for the day she finds someone to settle down with, build a life and a family with and it's in those moments when you truly feel the connection growing and deepening between Olivia and Catcher that you can't help but hope that she has finally found her man. Everything about Catcher was instantly likable, he had confidence and swagger in spades, there was no bad boy waiting for the good girl to turn him, Catcher was inherently good, with that perfect blend of sexy alpha male cockiness that made him utterly irresistible. Between their sizzling chemistry, Olivia's quirky family and quite frankly down right odd victims, associates and suspects I knew I was in for a treat. My only complaint was that I found myself skimming through the copious sex scenes to get more of Catcher and Olivia's witty banter, to watch them fall for each other just a little bit more, overall Drop Dead Sexy was a hilarious, sexy fun filled romp intermixed with murder and intrigue, the perfect blend of romantic comedy, erotic romance, suspense and humour, Ashley reminded me exactly why I #1click her books without thinking, because she creates these characters that you can't help but love.

About Katie Ashley:

Katie Ashley is a New York Times, USA Today, and Amazon Best-Selling author. She lives outside of Atlanta, Georgia with her daughter, Olivia, and her two very spoiled dogs. She has a slight obsession with Pinterest, The Golden Girls, Harry Potter, Shakespeare, Supernatural, Designing Women, and Scooby-Doo.

With a BA in English, a BS in Secondary English Education, and a Masters in Adolescent English Education, she spent 11 1/2 years educating the Youth of America aka teaching MS and HS English until she left to write full time in December 2012.

Visit Katie's Website
Connect with Katie on Facebook

He Will Be My Ruin by KA Tucker - Review

Blurb:


The USA TODAY bestselling author of the Ten Tiny Breaths and Burying Water series makes her romantic thriller debut with this heartpounding story of a young woman determined to find justice after her best friend’s death, a story pulsing with the “intense, hot, emotional” (Colleen Hoover) writing that exhilarates her legions of fans.
 
A woman who almost had it all...

On the surface, Celine Gonzalez had everything a twenty-eight-year-old woman could want: a one-bedroom apartment on Manhattan’s Lower East Side, a job that (mostly) paid the bills, and an acceptance letter to the prestigious Hollingsworth Institute of Art, where she would finally live out her dream of becoming an antiques appraiser for a major auction house. All she had worked so hard to achieve was finally within her reach. So why would she kill herself?

A man who was supposed to be her salvation...

Twenty-eight-year-old Maggie Sparkes arrives in New York City to pack up what’s left of her best friend’s belongings after a suicide that has left everyone stunned. The police have deemed the evidence conclusive: Celine got into bed, downed a bottle of Xanax and a handle of Maker’s Mark, and never woke up. But when Maggie discovers secrets in the childhood lock box hidden in Celine’s apartment, she begins asking questions. Questions about the man Celine fell in love with. The man she never told anyone about, not even Maggie. The man who Celine believed change her life.

Until he became her ruin.

On the hunt for answers that will force the police to reopen the case, Maggie uncovers more than she bargained for about Celine’s private life—and inadvertently puts herself on the radar of a killer who will stop at nothing to keep his crimes undiscovered.


Find on Goodreads


Kristine's Review:
Reviewed: January 2016.

A little known fact about me is that before I became the romance loving reader that I am today, I once read true crime and psychological thrillers almost exclusively, I would pour through the pages of the dark and depraved and find myself enraptured by the authors words, getting lost in something that kept me on the edge of my seat, desperate to know that the hero or heroine would make it out of the tale alive. It's been a long time since I read books like that, but another little known fact was that the morning He Will Be My Ruin showed up on my doorstep, I tore open the package and turned the first page, what was supposed to be me going into work early ended up being a morning I was late to work. I couldn't put it down, Something about Celine's fateful end, and Maggie's search for the truth had me enraptured, I couldn't look away, I couldn't put it down, the more I read the more I NEEDED to know.

Celine seemed to have the perfect life, everything she had worked so hard for was finally within her reach, with her life cut tragically short by her own hand, Maggie was left wondering whether she truly has even known her, what secrets was she guarding, was secret life was she living, why couldn't she tell Maggie anything important about what was going on for her? The more Maggie begins to question everything, the more questions begin to arise and the more Maggie needs to scour through Celine's secrets and lies to uncover the truth. One photograph changes everything, it leads Maggie to believe there was so much more that Celine was hiding than just the man she had fallen for, a man Maggie didn't even know existed, but the closer she gets to the truth, the more dangerous her game of cat and mouse becomes, unwittingly Maggie is caught in the cross hairs of a game the killer doesn't want her to win.

Utterly addictive, captivating from the first page to the last line, KA Tucker weaved a web of deceit and destruction that had already claimed one persons life, the sense of sorrow I felt at knowing that Celine's life had ended far too early, and sense of suspense I felt knowing it would be impossible to walk away. Tucker's words kept me on the edge of my seat, guarding my heart, knowing that every second that ticked by, the closer that Maggie could come to the same fate that her best friend met. He Will Be My Ruin was a thrill ride I didn't want to get off, whether you're a lover of romance or not, KA Tucker's newest release is a must read.

Purchase Links:

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/1UUUIk6
Amazon PB: http://amzn.to/1XbmU3L
Amazon UK: amzn.to/20OO2b1
Amazon AU: bit.ly/1nQvnNi
iBooks: https://itun.es/au/tZfC8.l


About KA Tucker:

Born in small-town Ontario, K.A. Tucker published her first book at the age of six with the help of her elementary school librarian and a box of crayons.

She currently resides in a quaint town outside of Toronto with her husband, two beautiful girls, and an exhausting brood of four-legged creatures.

Website: http://www.katuckerbooks.com/

Chasing Spring by RS Grey - Review

 

 

 

Blurb:

 

 

I thought I’d left Blackwater, Texas behind for good. I didn’t belong in the small town, but my dad wouldn’t listen. He dragged me back home in his beat-up truck and dropped a bomb along the way: Chase Matthews was moving in with us. He was the golden boy of my high school, my former best friend, and the last person I wanted sleeping across the hall. His presence was too great a reminder of the ghosts I was trying to forget.

I didn’t ask for a hero. I don’t want to be saved.

To me, Lilah Calloway meant late nights sneakin’ out, moonlit hair, and sparklers in July. She was my best friend until the day she left and I’d assumed Blackwater had seen the last of her. Then, like a tempest, she rolled back into town for the final half of senior year. The chopped hair and dark devil-may-care attitude warned most people away, but I knew if I fought hard enough, I could find the lost girl.

I didn’t want to be her hero. Some girls don’t need to be saved. 

Find on Goodreads.

Purchase Links:

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/1RUVRu9
Amazon PB: http://amzn.to/1PKOY8e
Amazon AU: bit.ly/1nHe6aa
Amazon UK: amzn.to/1SSB3Dw


Kristine's Review:
Reviewed: January 2016.

Where do I even start with Chasing Spring, I had grown accustomed to Grey's quirky yet heartfelt romances, and I was expecting more of the same, I was expecting light and sexy, while still packing an emotional connection that I often find in her work, and instead I found so much more. Lilah left her old life in Blackwater Texas, sure that she would finally be free of the guilt, pain and sorrow she felt there, but when he father advises her that she has to return home to finish her final year of high school, the new carefully constructed life Lilah had created for herself looked to be slipping away, not only was she back home and struggling to hold on while the inner turmoil she felt was threatening to pull her under, but her once best friend, Chase Matthews was now living in her family home, with only hallway separating them, Chase had always been the golden boy, and Lilah was determined to steer clear of his light, instead preferring her own darkness.

Everything about Chasing Spring stole my heart, breathtaking in it's entirety, Grey's words eloquent and inspired, I left my preconceived expectations at the first page, and took the journey that Lilah and Chase begged me to take with them, Chasing Spring is a poignant, often times heartbreaking coming of age story, that showcases how resilient the human spirit is, with moments of sheer brilliance where Lilah can see past her mother's sordid past, past the lies and deceit, past the guilt and fear, to the golden boy that she's always loved, to the man that's standing before her now, begging her to give him a chance, to give them a chance, to cut the ties that bind her to a future that can only be filled with heartache and misery, as it threatens to shackle her to a past that is not her own. These characters may be young, but they have both faced more than most of us will in a life time, with a wisdom that surpasses their years, Chasing Spring's raw emotion, it's ability to sucker punch you right in the feels, to break your heart, and simultaneously piece it back together for me came from Grey's ability to show that dichotomy of not only Chase and Lilah and the way they face their collective pasts, but the warring sides of Lilah's mind as she seeks to protect herself, with almost a devil may care attitude, while also holding Chase above all else, her need to ensure his heart is protected is tantamount to a sacred oath she made with herself.

"I thought you said you wanted to give me a happy ending?"

"Maybe instead I have to satisfied with a happy middle." 

Grey shows her depth here, while I have LOVED every book of hers, the fun, the quirky, the sexy, the emotional, nothing has gripped me the way Chasing Spring did, the way Chasing Spring has, because it's been days since I finished, and I find myself idly reading quotes, smiling wistfully as I remember moments, that so perfectly detailed the joy and heartbreak of first loves, of love in general, Grey has publicly spoken about the two years that she's been working on Chasing Spring, the fear that she had of ever publishing it, and I have to say, Ms Grey, your fears may have pushed your limits, but Chasing Spring will stay in my mind for a very long time to come.

"Think about it. Does the ending even matter? Shouldn't the middle be the happy part? It's the biggest chunk of our life..."

About RS Grey:

I am a lover of books, chocolate, reality TV, black labs, and cold weather. Seriously, if I had it my way, I would be curled up on the couch with all of those things... everyday.

I live in Texas where I spend my free time writing and reading. My favorite authors include Mindy Kaling & Jonathan Safran Foer. I'm a comedy geek and love all things "funny". Women like Tina Fey, Amy Poehler, and Mindy Kaling are definitely the biggest inspirations for my writing, though I think my work tends to skew a bit smuttier than theirs.




Facebook – http://on.fb.me/1P1szVn

Twitter – http://twitter.com/AuthorRSGrey

Instagram – http://bit.ly/1JqWEJc

Goodreads – http://bit.ly/1MK5MAq

Hero by Samantha Young - Review

Blurb:

The emotional and unforgettable new romance from the New York Times bestselling author of the On Dublin Street series.

Alexa Holland’s father was her hero—until her shocking discovery that she and her mother weren't his only family. Ever since, Alexa has worked to turn her life in a different direction and forge her own identity outside of his terrible secrets. But when she meets a man who’s as damaged by her father’s mistakes as she is, Alexa must help him.

Caine Carraway wants nothing to do with Alexa’s efforts at redemption, but it’s not so easy to push her away. Determined to make her hate him, he brings her to the edge of her patience and waits for her to walk away. But his actions only draw them together and, despite the odds, they begin an intense and explosive affair.

Only Caine knows he can never be the white knight that Alexa has always longed for. And when they're on the precipice of danger, he finds he’ll do anything to protect either one of them from being hurt again…

Find Hero on Goodreads

Kristine's Review:
Reviewed: January 2016.

Yesterday I asked my blog reader group out of two books what I should read next, the resounding answer was HERO, one member went so far as to say if this wasn't a GOLD Lipstick review then I didn't deserve my lipstick rating... I'm not even a little miffed to say she was 100% correct, this book ...gahhh everything about Hero captivated me immediately, Alexa was a character I loved at first sight, she was strong and feisty and pure of heart and good and so incredibly intriguing, during another bout of insomnia and ill health, I picked it up hoping that I would fall asleep at some point, instead I devoured Samantha Young's words, I couldn't of put this book down if I tried, with Young's trademark wit, her sexy styling and characters that make you feel, I was hooked, line and sinker.


It's an interesting premise here, Alexa uncovered her father's deception a few years ago, and boy was it a doozy, it shattered the precarious happiness of her family and alienated her from her once watertight bond with her mother, it obliterated everything she once believed and changed her life, after the death of her estranged mother a few months ago, her world crumbled, but her father's deception didn't only effect Alexa and her mother, they were only two of the people who were collateral damage, enter Caine Carraway. Alexa is determined to prove she's nothing like her father, but Caine has no interest in her, he works tirelessly to break her, but she refuses to crumble.

“You cannot kill your boss on the first day, you cannot kill your boss on the first day, you cannot kill your boss period”  

When circumstances lead to Alexa being under Caine's employ, she believes she finally has an in to prove that the sins of the father don't have to repeat themselves, but Caine is adamant that she is nothing more than his PA, his interactions with her are curt, he throws tasks at her that would frazzle even the most professional of people, Alexa has never been so effected by a man before, and she's determined to prove that all she wants is for Caine to find happiness, what she doesn't know is she is not the only one impacted by their interaction, their bond quickly deepens and before long they are involved in a hot and sexually explosive affair, Caine is determined to keep things purely sexual and Alexa hopes that there is more for them then just the physical connection.

“This isn’t just sex, Caine. This is an affair.” I held my hand up to stop his coming protest. “I’m not suggesting permanency. I’m suggesting that you admit that there’s a difference in what we’re doing here. We aren’t two people who just have sex now and then. There are feelings here whether we want to admit it or not. I’m not asking for forever, I’m asking you to stop pushing me away. I’m asking you to be real with me for however long this lasts.”  

I expected a sexy, witty romance, I purposely went into Hero blind, I had purchased it back in February 2015, and within moments of turning the first page, I was kicking myself for taking so long to read it, because Hero is incredibly sexy, with the trademark wit I've come to expect from Ms Young, but this story was so much more than that, with secrets and lies at every turn, Hero had all the markings of suspenseful thrill ride, I knew something *BIG* was coming, I kept waiting for find out what *IT* was and boy each and every time another part of the puzzle came to light, I became more desperate, I wanted, no I needed to know why Caine truly believed he wasn't a good fit for Alexa, but what truly had me enraptured was Alexa's tenacity, her strength in the face of adversity, her belief in Caine and all of those around her, she made me hopeful, even when her faith wavered, even when my heart shattered for her, even when I wanted to wrap her in my arms, wipe her tears and reassure her, I had faith and hope carving out space in my battered heart, because my silly, swoony, romantic thirst for happily ever afters is what draws me to reading, to getting lost in a book, to forgetting the time, to handing my heart over to an author every time I turn the first page, begging them to handle it with care.

“Don’t you get it?” he said, his voice gruff with emotion. “I’ve never met anyone like you before. There’s no one like you. I keep waiting to not feel like this, because there are times I can’t bear it. To care this much. To worry about you day in and day out, even before the attack. I love you so fucking much. I sometimes . . . I feel consumed by it.”  

Hero was a witty, sexy thrill ride, filled with poignant moments of heartbreaking clarity, of twists and turns, of one woman's journey to find a place to belong and to prove to a man who once lost everything that we are more than just one part of ourselves, that the sins of the father aren't destined to repeat themselves, but more than anything that life is about flailing and falling, and getting back up despite the darkness that often plagues us, Hero is about not letting the past hold you captive, it's about forgiveness and redemption, my only regret is not starting this book sooner.

Purchase Links:

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/1ZJemCT
Amazon PB: http://amzn.to/1R9CugM
Amazon AU: http://bit.ly/1Z0roz0
Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/1RjWqfc
Amazon CA: http://amzn.to/1R9FiKS

About Samantha Young:

Samantha Young is a New York Times, USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author from Stirlingshire, Scotland. She's been nominated for the Goodreads Choice Award 2012 for Best Author and Best Romance for her international bestseller ON DUBLIN STREET and Best Romance 2014 for BEFORE JAMAICA LANE. ON DUBLIN STREET is Samantha's first adult contemporary romance series and has sold in twenty-nine countries.

Visit Samantha's Website: http://authorsamanthayoung.com/

LEV: A Shot Callers Novel Belle Aurora - Review

Blurb:

From the moment Lev Leokov spots the young woman hiding behind her hair in the middle of the gentleman's club, he can't take his eyes off of her.
For the very first time in his life, he is affected. Having been told his entire life that he can't process or understand emotion, he considers it a big deal.

When Mina Harris gets caught red-handed with a wallet that isn't hers, she falls apart. She's tired, lonely and hasn't eaten in days.

Lev offers her an ultimatum... A nice warm bed, a hot meal and a job, or the cops.

Mina takes her chances with Lev.
After all, a person with nothing has nothing left to lose.

***This book enters the world of the extended Leokov family which are introduced in Friend-Zoned, however, is unrelated... release date TBA**

Purchase Links:

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/1JQv6yV
Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/1NYgJwm
Amazon AU: http://bit.ly/1OrTmNg
Amazon CA: http://amzn.to/1OBs5n0
Amazon PB: http://amzn.to/1NY8Tmn

Kristine's Review:
Reviewed: January 2016.

“Being alive was easy. Living, on the other hand…well, that was a little harder.”  

I wasn't sure what to expect when I picked up LEV, actually that's a lie I expected something dark, gritty, it had been a long while since I'd dived into one of Belle Aurora's books, and my memories of RAW obviously left a mark. LEV started ominous enough, Mina Harris is cold and hungry, her very existence is so far out of my realm of experience that my heart ached for her, desperation and despair make you do things you never dreamt of, after narrowly escaping a fate that threatened to send her down a path she didn't want to travel, she finds herself in a gentlemen's club, her plan is simple, seduce a man, get his wallet, and take off with enough money to enable her to eat for the first time in what feels like forever. Mina finds her mark and immediately realises how easy it could be, no seduction needed, grab the dangling wallet, grab some money and run for it, that is until Lev Leokov is standing in her way, Lev seeing something in Mina, feeling something foreign to him, the need to save and protect, offer's her two choices, a place to stay, and a job serving drinks, or the police. Mina has been on her own for so long she's wary of the offer, but faced with a chance of salvation she grasps it.

“I’m not ashamed of who you are. And the only time I would look down on you is if I were helping you back up.”  

LEV was an easy read, the connection between Mina and Lev was fun to explore, her past should have broken her but when given the chance she flourished, and Lev's inability to feel emotional responses tempered all of his interactions, he has definite alpha qualities and yet he was almost an anti hero for me, which is strange in itself that I felt that way, because there's never a doubt in this story that Lev is a good guy, one better than most, he's ruthless when it serves his purpose, and yet he's a devoted family man. Mina and Lev made for an interesting coupling, but what grabbed my attention throughout the story was the romantic lives of Lev's brother Sasha and sister Nastasia, the briefest glimpses of their romantic entanglements had me desperate for more, and I'm excited to see where Aurora takes these characters in the future.

“Love,” he advised gently, “is a doing word. And sometimes the people who least deserve it are the ones who need it most.”  

Aurora writes some swoon worthy moments here, we see the emotional pull Lev has on Mina early on, he is no doubt her saviour and there was always that voice in my head that told me that Mina had no hope in not falling for her white knight, his unconventional way of addressing her, his inability to truly feel anything of consequence made me wonder whether he could be the kind of leading man I love, I shouldn't of worried, it was utterly pointless especially with lines like the one below, my heart was in danger of exploding right out of my chest.

“My arms around her waist tightened a little. I never wanted to let go. “I don’t know what love is,” I started quietly. “But if I could love anyone…” I pressed a gentle kiss behind her ear, pulling her close. “I would love you. Very much.”

LEV was surprisingly fun, for what I expected to be a dark and harrowing story, I was pleasantly surprised to find the perfect book to curl up with on a lazy Sunday afternoon, I read it in one sitting with a glass of wine in hand, slowly sipping away while Aurora reminded me to expect the unexpected, while this book didn't change the way I view the world, it was an entertaining easy read that was highly enjoyable, one that has ensured I'll be keeping my eyes peeled for other books in the Shot Callers series, I struggled with how to rate this one, I flipped in my decision, but so much of how I rate and review is based on not just how quickly I read them, but how desperate I am for more while reading, and in truth I devoured this, I blinked and I was finished, time ceased to exist and I sunk into Aurora's words.

 

 

 

About Belle Aurora:

When finding an author pick of this talented lady use your own photo

Belle Aurora was born in the land down under.
At an early age she fell in love with reading. Boredom one summer had her scouring the bookshelves at home. She stumbled across Sandra Brown’s Breath of Scandal and fell in love with romance.
Having been brought up in a loud and boisterous family of Croatian descent, she developed a natural love for dramatics and humor. Only some years ago had she discovered a new love.
Humorous romance novels.
Kristen Ashley and R.L. Mathewson had opened a brand new world where she could lose herself yet feel safe and at home in their stories. Belle has been known to become a screeching banshee while anxiously awaiting their newest titles.
Belle never thought she would write. It had never interested her until recently. Friend-Zoned began to form and in February this year Belle typed the words Chapter One. And she fell in love.
With words.
With writing.
With a creative imagination she never knew she harbored.
Visit Belle Aurora on Facebook

Happily Ever Ninja (Knitting in the City #5) by Penny Reid - ARC Review

Released: 19th January 2016.

Blurb:

There are three things you need to know about Fiona Archer… I would tell you what they are, but then I’d have to kill you.

But I can tell you that Fiona’s husband—the always irrepressible and often cantankerous Greg Archer—is desperately in love with his wife. He aches for her when they are apart, and is insatiable when they are together. Yet as the years pass, Greg has begun to suspect that Fiona is a ninja. A ninja mom. A ninja wife. A ninja friend. After fourteen years of marriage, Greg is trying not to panic. Because Fiona’s talent for blending in is starting to resemble fading away.

However, when unexpected events mean Fiona must take center stage to keep her family safe, her response stuns everyone—Greg most of all. It seems like Greg’s wish has come true.

Except… not.

When all is said and done, can Greg handle this new version of his wife? Will his irrepressible cantankerousness push her away? Or can the couple find a way forward without either being forced to step back into the shadows?

This is a full length, 100k word novel, and is the 5th book in the Knitting in the City Series. All books in the series can be read as a standalone except book #1.5

Kristine's Review:
Reviewed: January 2015

For followers of How I Met Your Mother they will remember the famous line from the show that "nothing good happens after 2am"... well I'm here to tell you they were wrong, you see last night while plagued by a case of insomnia I decided to pick up a book, at 2am, thinking soon enough my eyes would grow tired and I would finally fall asleep...I did grow tired, I fell asleep with my kindle clutched tightly to my chest and a smile on my face... at 4.30am.

I've been a long time fan of Penny Reid's work, her words have always had an incredible impact on my heart, her characters are always quirky, her stories always veer from the stereotypical romance, and Happily Ever Ninja was certainly no different, wrapped up in this wild ride of drama and angst and suspense was a story that I encourage anyone who's ever questioned their life choices to read.

"You're becoming invisible under the weight of unhappiness."

Fiona and Greg have created a life many would envy, they have a nice home, two healthy, happy, well adjusted young children, they have great loving and supportive friends, and after over a decade together Fi and Greg still look at each other the way they did when they first fell in love, their insatiable need for each other is still there, their sex life still rocking, the only problem is that Greg's career means that he is away for months at a time. Long distance relationships aren't new to them though, their relationship was built on a foundation of loving each other from a distance, it's was what it was, there was no point in complaining about things you couldn't change.

Happily Ever Ninja captured my attention immediately, and while Fiona recounts the hardships of living a semi single parent existence, struggling under the strain of being the sole provider for emotional stability in her young children's lives, to be the PTA mom she thinks her kids deserve, the role of Super Mom and Super Wife and Super Friend and...well you get it, Fi is juggling a whole world of balls right now, and the exhaustion and fatigue of that mentally is enough to bring someone to their knees, and if I'm honest I think the reason this book struck a chord so heavily is because so many of us have felt the need to wear each of those aforementioned capes, to be everything to everyone. Reid isn't done there though, she takes the reader on a action packed, adrenaline fuelled adventure, one I wasn't ready for, I expected a story about a couple weathering that stage of indifference in their marriage, where they took stock of their lives and decided if this was what they always wanted, instead I got both.

"Tell me the truth. Are you happy? With us? With kids and a wife..."

 "That's like asking me, 'Are you happy your heart beats?'"

Reid weaves a story of jungle trails, and weapons and criminal empires and clandestine operations, that left me on the edge of my seat begging for more, I was thrown into an episode of Covert Affairs and I was breathless with anticipation, I was hooked watching everything transpire, but more than anything I felt a kinship to Fiona, because I've felt some of those same things, regardless of the setting the hero of this story was very much their marriage. Life is tough, marriage is hard, it's a choice you make every single day to be present and to be an active member of it, it's about communication, it's about putting your dirty socks in the hamper, it's wiping down the counter after making a sandwich, it's still wanting to get naked with your partner despite the stretch marks and extra pounds, it's feeling wanted and needed, it's asking for help, it's sharing the load, marriage is so much more than just lofty ideals of loving the other person until death do us part, it's more than grand gestures on Valentine's Day, it's making a commitment every day of every week of every year and being willing to your partner what do we do now, where do we go from here?? I'm not ashamed to admit that I had forgotten that, that reading Happily Ever Ninja left me with tears in my eyes at times because I desperately needed to be reminded that standing before God and forsaking all others, was not code for making sure the house was perfectly clean, or the Mr's shirts were ironed or dinner was 5 star feast, my commitment to my husband was to be present in my marriage, to put us first, to build a life with him.

"Fi...

Yes?

 My heart keeps discovering new ways to love you."

 

Reid takes the reader on a fantastical journey, filled with kick arse hero's and heroine's, with snappy one liners, sharp wit, and a sense of quirk I've come to expect from her books, but more than that, Reid reminded me that life is what you make it, it's the people you surround yourself with and it's you believing in yourself enough to say I deserve this, I deserve you.

 

 

Purchase Links:

 

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/1YXIv4k

Amazon AU: http://bit.ly/1JmqnKk
Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/1O2nvyS
Amazon CA: http://amzn.to/22Eq5F7
iBooks: http://tinyurl.com/p7tkwae
Nook:http://tinyurl.com/nrukxu7
Kobo: http://tinyurl.com/pmqzwgu


Read Ninja at First Sight: An Origin Story: http://amzn.to/1YXJzoT

About Penny Reid:

Penny Reid is a part time author of romantic fiction. When she's not immersed in penning smart romances she works in the biotech industry as a researcher. She's also a full time mom to two diminutive adults (boy-8 and girl-5), wife, daughter, knitter, crocheter, sewer, general crafter, and thought ninja.


CONTACT PENNY:
Please feel free to drop her a line. She'd be happy to hijack your thoughts! You can find her on her blog or email her: pennreid at gmail dot com  

http://reidromance.blogspot.com/

Kissing Madeline (Dearest #3) by Lex Martin - Review

Blurb:

What’s the worst thing about wanting a sexy NFL football player? Everyone else wants him, too.

After catching my boyfriend getting deep-throated by a skanky cage girl, I’ve learned my lesson – never date a professional athlete. Never. Besides, I have more important things to worry about, like not blowing my shot to make it as a broadcast reporter. I won’t let anything get in my way, not even the new “it boy” of the NFL and my hot-as-hell neighbor.

What's the worst thing about getting death glares from his new neighbor? It doesn't make him want her any less.

I’ve worked my ass off to make it to the pros. The last thing I need is the complication of a relationship, especially since my last one was a total train wreck. But I can’t stop thinking about the feisty girl next door with the smart mouth. And I’d love nothing more than to show her what to do with that mouth.

Friends with benefits might be the best idea he’s ever had. Or the worst.

Kissing Madeline is a companion novel to DEAREST CLEMENTINE and FINDING DANDELION. Each book is a stand-alone.

Purchase Links:

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/1QGKIZm
Amazon paperback: http://amzn.to/1MRByLZ
Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/1QGKWj8
Amazon AUS: http://bit.ly/1PHEXuf
Amazon CA: http://amzn.to/1QGKZM7

Kristine's Review:
Reviewed: August 2015.

So less than two days and two books, talk about hooked on a series, I'm so invested in these characters that I'm kind of obsessed, after all the crap Daren pulled with Clem back in high school, despite the fact that they buried the hatchet, I'm still giving him stink eye, so I need to be honest making me like him is one thing, making me love him...well Lex Martin has her work cut out for her....

Madeline has had a rough trot with men, catching her boyfriend getting a blow job from a cage girl certainly wasn't pleasant, she's done with professional athletes that's for sure, that rule will ensure she stays away from NHL star Daren who also happens to be her new neighbour. After all athletes are bound to be the same, they lure you in with their sexy looks, and toned bodies, and the next thing you know, you're catching them in compromising positions. Madeline is determined to focus solely on getting the career she's always wanted, she'll prove she's serious about being a broadcast reporter.

I'm not going to lie, despite my initial reservations Daren grew on me, he had that whole alpha male thing down pat but he was also caring, considerate, loyal (who would of guessed) and sweet, maybe that was he had already learnt from his past mistakes, I want to believe that he did, I think he chose a course of action many years ago and he regrets the pain and hurt he caused, part of me also hopes in some small way he holds onto to some of that guilt as a reminder that actions have consequences. Daren definitely redeemed himself, but for me Madeline was the hero of this story, she was strong tenacious, dedicated to her craft, she wanted to establish her own career, she's been knocked down and humiliated, but she refused to stay down.

Kissing Madeline isn't just NA romance, it's funny, and sexy and part suspense, this story kept me guessing, invested and intrigued, and I loved every second of it, it's funny how a series can drag you in so much, with characters who start out as strangers, become friends, and turn into family. I'm going to be sad saying goodbye and I'll definitely be keeping an eye out on Lex Martin now, her writing had me forgetting the time, and relishing in all those sweet first smiles, cute glances, and tentative touches.

 

 

About Lex Martin:

 

Author of DEAREST CLEMENTINE, FINDING DANDELION and KISSING MADELINE. I write new adult novels, the sexy kind with lotsa angst, a whole lotta kissing, and the hot happily ever afters.

Website

Dearest Clementine (Dearest #1) by Lex Martin - Review

Blurb:

Twenty-year-old Clementine Avery doesn't mind being called bitchy and closed off. It's safe, and after being burned by her high school sweetheart and stalked by a professor her freshman year of college, safe sounds pretty damn good.

Her number one rule for survival? No dating. That is until she accidentally signs up for a romance writing class and needs material for her latest assignment. Sexy RA Gavin Murphy is more than happy to play the part of book boyfriend to help Clem find some inspiration, even if that means making out...in the name of research, of course.

As Gavin and Clem grow closer, they get entangled in the mystery surrounding a missing Boston University student, and Clem unwittingly becomes a possible target. Gavin tries to show Clem she can handle falling in love again, but she knows she has to be careful because her heart’s at stake…and maybe even her life.

DEAREST CLEMENTINE is a stand-alone novel with two companion novels. This New Adult romance is recommended for readers 18+ due to mature content.
Goodreads

Kristine's Review:

Reviewed: August 2015.

After seeing Dearest Clementine teasers flood my news feed, I went to #1click, low and behold, there it was already sitting on my kindle waiting for me...don't judge me...it happens more often than I like to admit, so I dove in and now I'm sitting here trying to figure out why it took me so long.

Clementine has had some crap luck with me, first her high school boyfriend Daren cheated on her, with her best friend....and to make matters worse she caught them in the act, then as if that wasn't bad enough, she went off to college for a fresh start and ended up being stalked by her over eager Professor who couldn't seem to take no for an answer. As a result not only is Clem man shy but she's become a shadow of her former fun loving, outgoing self.

When she meets Gavin, the sexy RA she finds herself interested in a man for the first time in a long time, but she's not ready to dive back into the murky dating and relationship waters quite yet, and if Gavin wants a chance he's going to have to give Clem a reason to step out of her comfort zone.

Gavin is EVERYTHING I want in a my leading man, he's super sweet, charming, sexy, funny and still has those alpha tendencies that make me a swoony mess. There was something about this story that drew me instantly, partly due to Clem's fractured spirit, but her tenacity to continue despite her insecurities, partly due to Gavin's ability to see past the façade that Clem puts on for everybody and see both the broken and the beautiful that she keeps hidden, his ability to both put her at ease and set her alight.

Dearest Clementine is part NA romance, part suspense, it's funny and sweet and sexy, it set my heart racing and made me a swoony swoony mess, everything about this book made me happy, leaving a smile on my face, this was my first novel by Lex Martin but it certainly won't be my last, I've already purchased the second and third books on the series ready to dive in.

 

 

 

Purchase Links:

 

 Amazon Audio: http://amzn.to/1hevwaJ

 

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/1NLsJCg

 

Amazon AUS: http://bit.ly/1Iol45M

 

Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/1PWL5PV

 

 

About Lex Martin:

Author of DEAREST CLEMENTINE, FINDING DANDELION and KISSING MADELINE. Lex writes new adult novels, the sexy kind with lotsa angst, a whole lotta kissing, and the hot happily ever afters.

Website

 



 

Hard Beat by K. Bromberg

Blurb:

From the New York Times bestselling author of Sweet Ache comes a blistering new novel filled with danger, secrecy, and a desire that can’t be sated…

Foreign war correspondent Tanner Thomas is addicted to living on the edge. Needing the adrenaline rush of his job to help him cope with a personal loss, he throws himself back into the game, concentrating all his energy on getting the next big story.

But when he meets his new photojournalist, Beaux Croslyn, he can’t help but feel like he’s losing his focus—and maybe risking more…

With secrets she won’t address, Beaux is far from your ordinary woman. Determined to keep her distance, she’s willing to pull Tanner in closer and hide behind the sparks flying between them. But as Beaux’s past begins to put their relationship—and their lives—at risk, Tanner’s determination to find the truth puts them both in jeopardy.

He's ready to chase her to the ends of the earth to find out if what they had was real, or if the danger surrounding them was just an exquisite heat fated to burn out…

Purchase Links: 

Amazon  US: http://amzn.to/1MmeZJc

Amazon CA: http://amzn.to/1MdeSWL

Amazon AU: http://bit.ly/1MWri3Y

B&N: http://bit.ly/1LD4YYN

iBooks: http://apple.co/1jWxvBT

Kobo: http://bit.ly/1Htb1lR

Kristine's Review:
Reviewed: November 2015.

Kristy Bromberg has a knack for taking sensitive topics and writing in such a way that never feels intrusive, never feels like she's simply using a plotline for the sake of shock value. In Hard Beat we again meet Tanner Thomas, Riley's brother who we met briefly throughout the Driven series, as a foreign war correspondent Tanner has seen the atrocities of war first hand, he's lived death and destruction on a daily basis, he reports on the US effort to slow the juggernaut that is the oppression of the free world. But even the good guys often have darkness in their pasts, and Tanner is grieving a loss so great that it threatens to derail him completely. His only way of coping is to return to front line that decimated his life and left him reeling.

Beaux Croslyn is a fresh faced rookie set to join Tanner as his new photographer, from their very first meeting there's a spark between them that's undeniable, a chemistry that threatens to ruin everything that Tanner has worked so hard to create, a simple existence that allows him to carry on doing the job he was born to do. From furious fighting to an attraction that can't be contained Beaux and Tanner discover something neither of them ever expected to find, much less in the hell of a warzone. Their both hiding things from their past but together they seem to be forging a new future.

"You came back to me."

"I'll always come back to you."

Hard Beat has that sweeping sage feeling to it, their existence is lived in a hell so few of us truly understand, they live their lives in such a way that every feeling, every moment is expedited, a connection that could take months or even years to forge in the real world, can take only days or weeks, everything they feel is increased, everything amplified, and every second they spent together, even those they spent apart I felt, Bromberg's writing has the power to eviscerate me, strip me to the quick, and leaving me feeling splayed wide open, there's a beautiful dream like quality to her words, when she speaks of life and love, of pain and fear, of guilt and regret, I felt every second of Tanner and Beaux's journey, every second of their chemistry, every second of the soul deep pain they both felt, the more I read, the more craved them, and the more invested I became, Hard Beat is more than just romance, more than action and suspense, more than just two nomads coexisting in a complicated world, like always Bromberg begs you to leave your pre-existing notions of her characters at the door and to take an journey with her, her words, utterly captivating, her stories original and fresh, her ability to grab you by the collar and to demand your attention never fails to impress me, leaving me sated and yet desperate for more.

 

 About K. Bromberg:

New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author K. Bromberg writes contemporary novels that contain a mixture of sweet, emotional, a whole lot of sexy and a little bit of real. She likes to write strong heroines and damaged heroes who we love to hate and hate to love.

She’s a mixture of most of her female characters: sassy, intelligent, stubborn, reserved, outgoing, driven, emotional, strong, and wears her heart on her sleeve. All of which she displays daily with her husband and three children where they live in Southern California.

On a whim, K. Bromberg decided to try her hand at this writing thing. Since then she has written The Driven Series (Driven, Fueled, Crashed, Raced, Aced (releasing 1/11/16)), the standalone Driven Novels (Slow Burn, Sweet Ache, Hard Beat (releasing 11/3/15), Aced (a new Rylee and Colton novel releasing 1/11/16), and a short story titled UnRaveled. She is currently working on new projects and a few surprises for her readers.

She loves to hear from her readers so make sure you check her out on social media.

Website
Facebook