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Book Blogger Hop #333
1 day ago
Monday, 30 September 2013
It's Monday! What are you Reading? (30th September 2013)
Friday, 27 September 2013
Review: Beauty Touched the Beast by Skye Warren (Beauty #1)
Publication Date - 25th December 2011
Ebook - 26 pages
Genre - Erotic Romance
Source - Free download from Amazon
Rating - 2 out of 5: It was okay.
Reviewed by - Chrissie
Book Info - Erin cleans Mr. Morris's house twice a week, soaking up every moment with the reclusive ex-soldier she secretly loves. Blake Morris knows he's scarred both inside and out and is no good for the beautiful young woman who cleans his house to pay for college. But when Erin walks in on Blake touching himself and moaning her name, all bets are off.
My thoughts - I saw this as a free download on Amazon and thought it looked interesting, so I decided to give it a try. As it was such a short story, this will only be a quick review as well.
I have to admit that my feelings on this one were fairly neutral... I neither really liked it nor disliked it. I think the problem was that it was so short that I found out very little about the characters and I found myself not really caring all that much about what happened to them. I would definitely have liked a little more of an insight into Erin and Blake's characters and their backgrounds. Because so little is learnt about them it was really quite difficult to feel any kind of connection between the two of them, which meant really it was just about the sex. Although I did enjoy the sexual elements in this short story, they were both passionate and loving and they were very sweet together.
Summary - All in all, a very quick read and something to help pleasantly pass a spare few minutes you might have. But don't expect to feel anything too deep for the characters as there just isn't time for that.
Other books in the series:
1. Beauty Touched the Beast
2. Beneath the Beauty
3. Broken Beauty
Thursday, 26 September 2013
Series Spotlight: Sea Breeze Series by Abbi Glines
My pick this week is yet another one that I have had sitting on my TBR list that I am hoping to eventually get time to read at some point. Have you read this series? Let me know what you thought!
Sadie White's summer job isn't going to be on the beach life-guarding or working at rental booths like most kids her age. With her single mother's increasing pregnancy and refusal to work, Sadie has to take over her mother's job as a domestic servant for one of the wealthy summer families on a nearby island.
When the family arrives at their summer getaway, Sadie is surprised to learn that the owner of the house is Jax Stone, one of the hottest teen rockers in the world. If Sadie hadn't spent her life raising her mother and taking care of the house she might have been normal enough to be excited about working for a rock star.
Even though Sadie isn't impressed by Jax's fame, he is drawn to her. Everything about Sadie fascinates Jax but he fights his attraction. Relationships never work in his world and as badly as he wants Sadie, he believes she deserves more. By the end of the summer, Jax discovers he can't breathe without Sadie.
Marcus Hardy had hoped to enjoy a year away at college while he put the summer he’d rather forget behind him. But instead, he’s jerked right back to the coastal town of Sea Breeze, Alabama due to a family crisis. His dear ol' dad found himself a girlfriend only a few years older than Marcus. So now his sister needs help dealing with their mother who is mentally falling apart. The only bright spot to returning is the fascinating red head who sleeps over several times a week. The problem is she's sleeping in bed with his new roommate, Cage York.
Willow “Low” Foster needs a place to live. Running to Cage’s apartment every time her sister kicks her out isn’t exactly a long term solution. Juggling her courses at the local community college and a part time job doesn’t produce excess income. But Cage has a new roommate and suddenly sleeping over at her best friend’s apartment isn’t such a bad thing. Not when she gets to see those sexy green eyes of Marcus Hardy’s twinkle when he smiles at her like he wants her there.
Even though Cage seems a little territorial where Low is concerned, Marcus finds time to spend with Low without upsetting his roommate. Cage may use his small college baseball star persona to sleep with every hot female in his path but he’s still under the disillusion that when he’s through sowing his wild oats, he’s going to marry Low. Marcus intends to change that assumption for both Cage and Low. Until his carefully laid plans come crashing down with a revelation he never expected. He’ll have to choose between Low or his family. Because once the truth comes out.... there’s no other choice.
Maybe driving home after a few (or more) shots of tequila had been a bad idea, but hell, he did it all the time. The cops had to have been freaking bored to have pulled him over. He wasn’t even swerving! That’s Cage York’s story and he’s sticking to it.
Unfortunately, his baseball coach isn’t buying it. Cage has a free ride to the local junior college for baseball -- or he did, until he’d gotten a DUI. Now, Cage has to decide: does he drop out and give up his dream of getting noticed by a college in the SEC, and possibly making it into the Major Leagues -- or does he give in to his coach’s demands and spend his summer baling hay?
Eva Brooks planned out her life step by step when she was eight years old. Not once over the years had she lost sight of her goals. Josh Beasley, her next door neighbor, had been the center of those goals. He’d been her first boyfriend at seven, her first kiss at ten, her first date at fifteen, and her first tragedy at eighteen. The moment she’d received the phone call from Josh’s mother saying he’d been killed along with four other soldiers just north of Baghdad, Eva’s carefully planned life imploded in the worst way possible.
Cage isn’t real happy with his closet-sized bedroom in the back of a foul smelling barn, or his daily interactions with cows, but he knows that if he doesn’t make his coach happy then he can kiss his scholarship goodbye. Only a sick and twisted man would decide his punishment was to be working on a farm all summer. No hot babes in bikinis waiting to meet a Southern boy to make her vacation complete. Just him and the damned cows.
Oh -- and an uptight, snarky brunette with the biggest blue eyes he’s every seen. But she doesn’t count, because as hard as he’s tried to charm her out of her panties - he’s pretty sure she’d rather see him hung from the rafters than let him get a taste of her pretty little lips.
The day Preston Drake figured out that wealthy women paid well for a set of tight abs and a pretty face his life turned around.
The run down rat-infested trailer he had shared with his alcoholic mother and three younger siblings was now only a place he visited to pay the bills and stock the pantry with food.
He no longer worried about his family starving or living without electricity. The money he made entertaining rich older women more than covered his family’s needs and his own. He had it all figured out. Except…
There was this girl.
She was as innocent as he was tainted.
Amanda Hardy wished her knees didn’t get weak when Preston walked into a room. She hated the fact her heart raced when he flashed his smile in her direction. He had a different girl in his bed every night. He was the kind of boy a smart girl ran from. So, why was she coming up with ways to get close to him? Even when it was obvious he wanted to keep her at a distance.
Maybe her heart knew something the world didn’t. Maybe Preston Drake was more than just a pretty face.
After waiting for his big break, bad boy Cage York is finally called up to prove his worth in the college baseball arena. But when Cage’s girlfriend, Eva, mourns the sudden loss of her father, it’s not Cage’s comforting arms she runs to, but those of her former fiancé’s twin brother, Jeremy.
Torn between his baseball dream and the girl of his dreams, Cage must prove he’s worthy of Eva’s love, or risk losing her to Jeremy forever.
Jason is sick of living in his rock star brother’s shadow. So when he ships off to Sea Breeze, Alabama, he’s looking for a much deserved escape and a chance to blow off some envious steam. Falling for the local bad girl was definitely not the plan. But as the new duo enjoys some naughty fun in the Alabama sun, Jason learns that even though Jax is the musician in the family, he’s not the only brother who can rock someone’s world.
Tuesday, 24 September 2013
Review: Come Undone by Madelynne Ellis (Rock Hard #1)
Publication Date - 29th August 2013
Ebook - 200 pages
Genre - Erotic Romance
Source - Received from publisher for review via NetGalley
Rating - 2 out of 5: It was ok.
Reviewed by - Chrissie
Book Info - When red-hot, Goth-metal band, Black Halo, split live on stage, fate throws Daniella Fosbrook into the path of sexy vocalist Xane Geist. Initially, Xane’s only looking for a ride home, but Dani tempts him in a way a thousand other women haven’t. Determined to explore their heady chemistry and avoid hashing things out with the band, Xane whisks Dani off to Monaco for a steamy weekend.
There, Dani tries her best to hang onto her heart and some clothing, while Xane soon loses both. However, Xane isn’t being entirely honest about the reason for the band’s demise. When the truth comes out, can Dani accept the facts, or will everything come undone.
My Thoughts - When I first saw this book on NetGalley I thought it sounded really good. However, it was not as good as I was hoping. The first problem that I had with this book was the amount of spelling errors in it. At one point the main character's name even changes from Dani to Danny which really confused me for a moment. I just found this problem to be very distracting and it kept on jolting me out of the story.
Also, I didn't really feel as though I connected with the characters, and with Dani in particular. She comes across very much as a doormat and I did find this slightly irritating at some points. Especially when it came to all things sexual with Xane. He is the lead singer of a rock band who has women throwing themselves at him every single day, so he obviously has way more sexual experience than Dani does. But there were at least a couple of moments where she did something that she obviously wasn't sure about just to please him, to the point where I actually felt uncomfortable reading it. He doesn't force her to do anything but I just kept on wanting him to stop things so that she would be spared doing something that she wasn't ready for. It just meant that some of the sex just wasn't as hot as it was supposed to be... and there was a lot of sex. I'd say too much as I felt the story suffered a little for it. I would have preferred it if more time was spent on character development than working through what felt a little like a checklist of sexual scenarios.
And as for Xane, I wasn't really sure I liked him either, although I did like him more than Dani. When we first meet him he is up on stage singing in a concert literally straight after finding out that his girlfriend (who is also a member of the band) has married his best friend (another band member) behind his back... without even having the decency to break up with him first. Understandably he is upset. But he storms off stage deciding he can't be in the group any more with the two people who have betrayed him so badly and runs straight into Dani. And then starts one of the biggest whirlwind romances I have ever read about. Although I think on some level he does care for Dani, it's also obvious that it is way too soon after getting hurt to be thinking about starting another relationship. He ends up coming across as a little desperate and needy, and he needed to take some time to actually grieve the first relationship before starting the next.
The ending was very frustrating for me. Without wanting to give too much away, it's not so much a cliffhanger as it just kind of... stops. Things are far from stable between Dani and Xane at that point due to some issues that have come up between them (but won't say anymore than that for fear of spoiling things) and it just suddenly comes to an end. Things did not feel wrapped up at all and I know that this is the first in the series but I hope that the second book carries on with Xane and Dani's story in order to give them their happily ever after rather than moving onto another couple, otherwise it will feel as though a big portion of the story is missing.
Summary - I had a lot of issues with this book and found some of it to be very frustrating. To be honest, I'm not sure if I will continue reading the rest of the series, although if I do it will be out of curiosity to see if the author does wrap up Dani and Xane's story.
Monday, 23 September 2013
It's Monday! What are you Reading? (23rd September 2013)
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Sunday, 22 September 2013
Stand-Alone Sunday Review: Shine by Candy Gourlay
Publication Date - 5th September 2013
Paperback - 304 pages
Genre - Young Adult/Contemporary
Source - Received from publisher for review
Rating - 4 out of 5: I really liked it!
Reviewed by - Chrissie
Book Info -
This is not a ghost story even though there are plenty of ghosts in it. And it's not a horror story though some people might be horrified. It's not a monster story either, even though there is a monster in it and that monster happens to be me.
Forced to hide herself away from the superstitious island community of Mirasol, thirteen-year-old Rosa seeks solace online. There she meets Ansel95, and as the friendship moves from virtual to real, Rosa discovers that she's not the only one with something to hide...
From the author of the critically-acclaimed Tall Story, comes a haunting, intense and moving novel which weaves myths and ghosts into a modern setting. As Rosa's social life blossoms, how will she seize the freedom to be who she really is?
My Thoughts - When I first got this book through the post I have to admit that I was very intrigued by the premise. I don't usually like ghost stories, and I wouldn't really say that this is a ghost story to be honest, but I was intrigued about how a young girl who is obviously seen as a monster by society is forced to live out her life online, and how her relationship with this Ansel95 would develop.
Admittedly, there wasn't as much about her online friendships as I was hoping and it only really took up a small portion of the book, but I still found it really enjoyable and I read it in just one day as I wasn't able to put it down. Instead, Shine focuses on Rosa's life on a very small island whose population all seem to be incredibly superstitious. Rosa suffers from an illness known as the Calm, that leaves her with scarring and an inability to talk. As a result of this, she would be seen by the other people on the island as a monster and consequently lives her life in hiding. I have to say I found it completely shocking to see the level of fear and ignorance shown by the residents of Mirasol, and it was frightening to see the amount of hatred that they had for anybody with the Calm just because of an old ghost story.
Throughout this telling of Rosa's story, there are also sections written by Rosa's mother in the form of letters to her twin sister. Rosa's mother also had the Calm but died when Rosa was just five years old, so these sections were a look into the past and what life was like for Rosa's mother growing up with a twin sister who was not affected by the illness. At first, I had trouble understanding what these sections were for, other than providing an interesting look at another person's viewpoint of the illness. However, near the end it suddenly all becomes clear how the past and present are linked in an amazing climax that I just hadn't seen coming. For the last few chapters I was literally unable to move until I found out how it would all turn out.
Summary - A book that makes the reader think long and hard about superstitions, prejudices and how we treat people in general. A YA book that is a must-read for people of all ages.
Saturday, 21 September 2013
Stacking the Shelves (21st September 2014)
For Review:
Danny Bennett knows that most of what keeps her family feuding with the Cahill clan is baseless accusations from both parties, but that doesn't keep her from taking sides. After all, when her fun-loving brother, Derek - the person she idolizes the most - has been accused of murder, her loyalties lay solidly with him. But her loyalty to her chosen future is what she puts first when she applies for a dangerous job in order to pay for her college education. Accustomed to living on the edge, Danny welcomes a good challenge...until she realizes she has unwittingly landed herself in the bowels of the enemy camp and fallen prey to her brother's irresistibly sexy accuser.
Driven by hatred, Austin Cahill knows exactly what to do with the Bennett girl who saunters onto his job site under false pretenses: use her as a weapon against her brother, the man he holds responsible for his fiancé's fatal drowning. Derek Bennett must pay for his crimes, but Austin must coax a confession out of him first. His plan to "own" Derek's beloved baby sister should break the man, but he soon discovers a much bigger obstacle...his burgeoning desire for Danny. When Derek comes for her, will Austin be prepared to let her go in exchange for the truth? Will his quest for vengeance destroy the woman he's grown to care for? Or will it be the truth that brings them all down?
Melanie Parker's life takes a gut-wrenching turn when she wakes up in a crumbling, unfamiliar environment. Even worse, her small child is in the arms of a certifiable killer, but Rena Hellberg isn't the only immediate threat. Melanie's abductor lurks in the shadows, a quiet, hooded stranger who's calling the shots. When she refuses to play the meek hostage, he reveals his darkest secrets in order to gain her cooperation.
Though he can barely trust himself, he can't deny his feelings for a woman he should have left alone. It wasn't his intention to bring her into a world he's trying to break free of, but he refuses to let it destroy her. The formidable group of enforcers who took him and made him one of their own won't tolerate rebellion of any kind. But they've never dealt with such a stubborn recruit...or one with so much to live for.
Charles Huntley, Lord Ryevale, infamous rogue…and government agent.
In unsettled times, with England at war with France, Ryevale is assigned to covertly protect a politician’s daughter, Miss Verity Verrinder. To keep Verity under his watchful eye, Ryevale plots a campaign of seduction that no woman can resist– except it seems, Miss Verrinder. In order to gain her trust Ryevale enters Verity’s world of charity meetings and bookshops…where the unexpected happens and he falls in love with his charge.
When Lord Ryevale turns his bone-melting charms on her, Verity questions his lordship’s motivation. But with her controlling father abroad, Verity wishes to explore London and reluctantly accepts Ryevale’s companionship. As the compelling attraction between them strengthens, Verity is shattered to learn her instincts are correct after all – and Ryevale is not what he seems. So if Lord Ryevale can lie, so can she… with disastrous consequences.
When red-hot, Goth-metal band, Black Halo, split live on stage, fate throws Daniella Fosbrook into the path of sexy vocalist Xane Geist. Initially, Xane’s only looking for a ride home, but Dani tempts him in a way a thousand other women haven’t. Determined to explore their heady chemistry and avoid hashing things out with the band, Xane whisks Dani off to Monaco for a steamy weekend.
There, Dani tries her best to hang onto her heart and some clothing, while Xane soon loses both. However, Xane isn’t being entirely honest about the reason for the band’s demise. When the truth comes out, can Dani accept the facts, or will everything come undone.
Thursday, 19 September 2013
Series Spotlight: Beautiful Series by Jamie McGuire
Well, there's not really a whole lot to say about my pick this week other than the fact that it is a series that I have seen good reviews for on a lot of blogs so I really, really want to read it!
Abby Abernathy is a good girl. She doesn’t drink or swear, and she has the appropriate number of cardigans in her wardrobe. Abby believes she has enough distance from the darkness of her past, but when she arrives at college with her best friend, her path to a new beginning is quickly challenged by Eastern University’s Walking One-Night Stand.
Travis Maddox, lean, cut, and covered in tattoos, is exactly what Abby wants—and needs—to avoid. He spends his nights winning money in a floating fight ring, and his days as the ultimate college campus charmer. Intrigued by Abby’s resistance to his appeal, Travis tricks her into his daily life with a simple bet. If he loses, he must remain abstinent for a month. If Abby loses, she must live in Travis’s apartment for the same amount of time. Either way, Travis has no idea that he has met his match.
How much is too much to love?
Travis Maddox learned two things from his mother before she died: Love hard. Fight harder.
In Walking Disaster, the life of Travis is full of fast women, underground gambling, and violence. Just when he thought he was invincible, Abby Abernathy brings him to his knees.
Every story has two sides. In Jamie McGuire's New York Times bestseller Beautiful Disaster Abby had her say. Now it's time to see the story through Travis's eyes
Wednesday, 18 September 2013
Waiting on Wednesday: The Rogue's Proposal by Jennifer Haymore
This week Chrissie has a "can't-wait-to-read" selection for you:
Lord Lukas Hawkins, the rakish second son of the House of Trent, has never found a wager he couldn't win or a woman he couldn't seduce--until his search for his missing mother leads him to a mysterious encounter with a beautiful stranger.
Luke's mother has been missing for months, and while his honorable older brother Simon, Duke of Trent, leads the official investigation from London, Luke sets out on a somewhat seedier path. Sources have told him his mother was last seen with a scoundrel named Roger Morton, but their association isn't clear. Was she kidnapped or did she go willingly?
While searching for Morton, Luke meets Emma Anderson, a secretive beauty with her own reasons for hunting Morton. At first Luke laughs at the idea of allowing a woman to join him in his search, but soon Emma's insights into Morton - like the woman herself - prove impossible to resist.
Tuesday, 17 September 2013
Review: The Siren by Tiffany Reisz (Original Sinners #1)
Publication Date - 1st September 2012
Paperback - 432 pages
Genre - Erotic Romance
Source - Received from publisher for review
Rating - 4.5 out of 5: I really liked it!
Reviewed by - Chrissie
Book Info - Some love stories you never forget.
She tore herself from the man she adored, who transformed her, who possessed her...who would have destroyed her. Now she is adored by a man she must not have.
Some books will change your world.
She thinks she knows what it means to be pushed to her limits. She's wrong.
Be prepared...this is one of them.
My Thoughts - I had been wanting to try this series for quite some time, so when the publishers asked if I'd like review copies I jumped at the chance. And I have to say that the first book was even better than I was expecting, if somewhat different from what I thought it would be.
Nora is an erotica author by day and Dominatrix by night. She is working on her latest novel and is having to work hard to prove herself as a real writer to her new editor, Zach. I absolutely loved the grit and determination that Nora showed throughout the whole novel when it came to her writing. She knows she is good and she is determined to make Zach see just how really good her writing is. Of course, it doesn't take Zach long to fall under her spell... both as a writer and as a woman. But they have to keep things professional until the contract for the new book has been signed so there is a lot of chemistry and fireworks between them throughout the novel as they have to try incredibly hard to keep their hands off each other.
Zach was an okay character, but I found I had trouble really connecting with him. I'm not sure if it was because next to the vivacious and bubbly Nora he just looked bland... but then who wouldn't next to Nora! It wasn't until later in the novel when he started to loosen up a little that I began to like him more.
Nora is surrounded by men who are in love with her. There's Zach, as I've already mentioned. Soren, her ex-Dom who she still loves but can't be with for reasons that I won't go into for fear of giving away spoilers. And Wesley, her 19 year old live-in intern who is still a virgin. They are all drawn to her like moths to a flame, and it was the intensity and complexity of these relationships that really helped to draw me into this book until I was unable to put it down. Of course, with one woman and three men, it was obvious that not all of the characters were going to get their happy ending and the need to know how it would all end for everybody was one of the things that made me speed through this book. Although I will admit to feeling a little frustrated with Nora at times. There is no doubt in my mind that she had feelings of some kind for each of these three men but because of her need to feel loved she kept them all around her despite the fact that it could only have disastrous consequences for everybody involved.
I loved the fact that the novel had real substance and storyline to it and wasn't just about the sex. It was about complex matters of the heart that really make the reader think. There are even a few deep conversations about literature and religion and the like that all helped to build the book up into something well worth reading. Although I will admit that the sex that was there was very hot and I enjoyed reading those elements a lot. I will warn you though that the sex is very BDSM orientated and rough at times so may not be for the faint hearted.
Summary - A great, although at times heart-breaking, start to the series. I can't wait to get started on book two!
Other books in this series:
1. The Siren
2. The Angel
3. The Prince
4. The Mistress
Monday, 16 September 2013
It's Monday! What are you Reading? (16th September 2013)
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Saturday, 14 September 2013
Stacking the Shelves (14th September 2013)
For Review:
This is not a ghost story even though there are plenty of ghosts in it. And it's not a horror story though some people might be horrified. It's not a monster story either, even though there is a monster in it and that monster happens to be me.
Forced to hide herself away from the superstitious island community of Mirasol, thirteen-year-old Rosa seeks solace online. There she meets Ansel95, and as the friendship moves from virtual to real, Rosa discovers that she's not the only one with something to hide..
From the author of the critically-acclaimed Tall Story, comes a haunting, intense and moving novel which weaves myths and ghosts into a modern setting. As Rosa's social life blossoms, how will she seize the freedom to be who she really is?
When Amy Carrell's wealthy boyfriend ends their relationship just before Christmas, she's left to nurse her broken heart alone. With nothing to lose, she replies to an advertisement requesting a companion for a mysterious 'Manhattan adventure'.
Whisked off to New York with eccentric British aristocrat Georgia Hamilton, Amy experiences a glamorous side of the city that she's never seen before. Along the way, Georgia initiates her protegee in the arts of old-school elegance.
But as Georgia shares her life lessons, Amy discovers a painful secret in her mentor's past. A secret that shattered her future. A story of love and betrayal that only Amy has the power to put right.
The first adult novel set in the world of the New York Times bestselling Nightshade series, Captive delivers a steamy, forbidden romance between sworn enemies drawn together by an irrepressible desire.
Twenty-five-year-old Tristan Doran enjoys a life of incredible power and privilege. As a direct descendant of the Keepers—witches who have embraced dark magic—he defers to no one but his overlord, Lord Bosque Mar. For most of his life, Tristan has been kept out of the centuries-old Witches War, his bloodline too valuable to risk in battle.
But when a beautiful, young human Searcher named Sarah is captured and made a prisoner in his Irish castle, Tristan’s infatuation with her flings him headlong into the fray. Captive and captor, unable to contain their longing, embark on a passionate, forbidden romance together—only to learn that their love is at the heart of a prophecy predicting the downfall of the Keepers’ ages-old reign.
Captive explores the darker side of the richly imagined Nightshade universe, a fantasy world of powerful dark witches, shape-shifting wolf warriors, and fascinating history. The first of three erotic novels, Captive delves deeply into the fiery, illicit romance of two young lovers whose very desires invite their doom.
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When Jennifer looks in the mirror, she can barely recognize herself. An abusive relationship transformed a woman with a promising future into a broken soul. For the past three years she has tried desperately to forget her pain, but her wounds still haunt her. She has learned to never give her heart away.
Now, as Jennifer struggles to piece her life back together, she meets one man who could change everything.
Philip Haas is a self-made man who always gets what he wants. He's the epitome of wealth, power, and sex. Despite his incredible wealth and seductive personality, his life has not been as easy as it appears.
When they share a night of passion, more questions than answers arise. Does Philip truly care for her, or is he just using her body?
Just when it seems like the answers are in sight, Philip's past resurfaces to threaten their relationship. Will he overcome his past for Jennifer or will it tear them apart?
Friday, 13 September 2013
Review: Bare It All by Lori Foster (Love Undercover #2/Men Who Walk the Edge of Honor #5)
Publisher - Harlequin
Publication Date - 30th April 2013
Genre - Romantic Suspense
Source - Received for review via NetGalley
Rating - 4.5 out of 5: I really liked it
Reviewed by - Chrissie
Book Info - As the person responsible for taking down a brutal human trafficker, Alice Appleton fears retaliation at every turn. No one knows about her past, which is exactly how she prefers it...until the sexy cop next door comes knocking.
Detective Reese Bareden thinks he knows what makes women tick, but his ever-elusive neighbor keeps him guessing like no other. Is his goal to unmask Alice's secrets? Or protect her from a dangerous new threat? One thing is certain: their chemistry is a time bomb waiting to explode. And with no one to trust but each other, Reese and Alice are soon drawn into a deadly maze of corruption, intrigue and desire-and into the line of fire....
My Thoughts - I am a big fan of Lori Foster's romantic suspense novels. Last year I devoured her Men Who Walk the Edge of Honor series one after the other as I just couldn't get enough. And earlier this year I had the pleasure of reviewing the first book in her Love Undercover series, which I enjoyed just as much as her other series. So when I saw this available for review on NetGalley I just couldn't resist. Before I started reading it I was under the impression that it was just book two in the Love Undercover series, so imagine my joy when I started reading and realised it was actually a cross-over between the two series! Including an appearance by one of the incredibly sexy alpha males from the Edge of Honor books.
I fell in love with both Alice and Reece when I first met them in Run the Risk... however, it wasn't until the first page of this book that I realised I had met Alice before in Trace of Fever (book two in the Men Who Walk the Edge of Honor series). She hadn't been a main character so I hadn't immediately recognised her from the references made to her in Run the Risk. And once I had made the connection, Alice's behaviour in the first book makes so much more sense... with her obsession with security (meaning guns and other kinds of weapons!) and her attention to the tiniest detail of what's going on around her. And all of her idiosyncrasies just makes the reader love her even more as we come to understand more and more of what she's been through in the past. And she is the bravest character I've ever read about... although I'd perhaps use the term crazy brave... and there were a few occasions where I was screaming at her asking her what the hell she thought she was doing. Yes, she does everything that she does to help others, but at times while taking some serious risks concerning her own safety. But again, this all ties in with what she's been through in the past and why she feels a need to atone.
Reese is a typical alpha male. He's a cop who lives next door to Alice and he's professional, hard-working, great at his job, and on top of all that he has a heart of gold. He rescued a dog from the side of the road in Run the Risk and has kept him. In fact, it is his dog Cash (so named because he wrecks a lot of things so is rather expensive to keep!) that first brings Reece and Alice together. Alice is determined to keep a distance from everybody until she starts to look after Cash while Reece is working. Reece is very territorial of Alice and incredibly protective, especially as Alice begins to reveal more about her past to him. Together they are the perfect mix of tender and passionate and, in a nut shell, they are just perfect for one another.
The mystery element of the novel was very good too, with lots of suspense and danger. There is a good mix between the mystery and the romantic aspects of the novel so that it doesn't weigh too heavily in the favour of either. Although this is the second in one series and the fifth in another, therefore with a lot of books (and information) coming before hand, I didn't find it confusing. Although I think it would be best to read Run the Risk before reading this one, as a lot of the romance between these two does start to develop in the first book, I don't think it matters too much if you haven't read the Men Who Walk the Edge of Honor series as all the information the reader needs is still given to leave them with a clear picture... you just might be left in the dark slightly longer than somebody else who has already read that series. Although, read that series anyway as it's also amazing!
Summary: An incredible romantic suspense novel from one of my favourite authors. An absolute must read for anybody who is a fan of the genre.
Other books in the series:
Love Undercover Series:
1. Run the Risk
2. Bare It All
3. Getting Rowdy
Men Who Walk the Edge of Honor Series:
1. When You Dare
2. Trace of Fever
3. Savour the Danger
4. A Perfect Storm
5. Bare It All
Thursday, 12 September 2013
Series Spotlight: Submissive Series by Tara Sue Me
I think it's fair to say that I have been reading a lot of Erotic Romance recently, most of them with a BDSM flavour, and this is a series that has caught my eye more than once. I'm definitely hoping to read these some time in the near future.
Abby King has a secret fantasy.
New York knows Nathaniel West as the brilliant and handsome CEO of West Industries, but Abby knows he's more: a sexy and skilled dominant who is looking for a new submissive. Yearning to experience a world of pleasure beyond her simple life as a librarian, Abby offers herself to Nathaniel to fulfil her most hidden desires.
After only one weekend with the Master, Abby knows she needs more, and fully submits to Nathaniel's terms. But despite the pleasure he takes in Abby's willing spirit, the Nathaniel hidden behind the rules remains cold and distant.
As Abby falls deeper into his tantalizing world of power and passion, she fears that Nathaniel's heart may be beyond her reach—and that her own might be beyond saving.…
Nathaniel West doesn't lose control.
As the playboy CEO of West Industries, he governs the boardroom during the day; as a strict dominant with exacting rules, he commands the bedroom at night. He never takes on inexperienced submissives, but when Abigail King's application comes across his desk, he breaks his own restrictions and decides to test her limits.
Abby's combination of innocence and willingness is intoxicating, and Nathaniel is soon determined to collar her as his own. As long as she follows his orders and surrenders herself fully to him, no one will get hurt.
But when Nathaniel begins falling for Abby on a deeper level, he realizes that the trust must go both ways—and he has secrets which could bring the foundations of their entire relationship crashing down...
It started with a hidden desire.
Millionaire CEO Nathaniel West has always played by his own strict set of rules, ones he expects everyone to follow - especially the women he's dominated in his bedroom. But his newest lover is breaking down all his boundaries and rewriting his rule book.
Abby King never imagined that she would capture the heart of Nathaniel West, one of New York City's most eligible bachelors - and its most desirable dominant. What began as a weekend arrangement of pleasure has become a passionate romance with a man who knows every inch of her body and her soul - yet remains an enigmatic lover. Though he is tender and caring, his painful past remains a wall between them.
Abby knows the only way to truly earn his trust is to submit to him fully and let go of all of her lingering inhibitions. Because to lead Nathaniel on a path to greater intimacy, she must first let him deeper into her world than anyone has ever gone before...
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