Red Fish, Dead Fish by @amymaclane @dreamspinners #REVIEW #AUDIOBOOK

Red Fish, Dead Fish, Amy Lane Dreamspinner Press
Fish Out of Water #2
They must work together to stop a psychopath—and save each other.

Two months ago Jackson Rivers got shot while trying to save Ellery Cramer’s life. Not only is Jackson still suffering from his wounds, the triggerman remains at large—and the body count is mounting.

Jackson and Ellery have been trying to track down Tim Owens since Jackson got out of the hospital, but Owens’s time as a member of the department makes the DA reluctant to turn over any stones. When Owens starts going after people Jackson knows, Ellery’s instincts hit red alert. Hurt in a scuffle with drug-dealing squatters and trying damned hard not to grieve for a childhood spent in hell, Jackson is weak and vulnerable when Owens strikes.

Jackson gets away, but the fallout from the encounter might kill him. It’s not doing Ellery any favors either. When a police detective is abducted—and Jackson and Ellery hold the key to finding her—Ellery finds out exactly what he’s made of. He’s not the corporate shark who believes in winning at all costs; he’s the frightened lover trying to keep the man he cares for from self-destructing in his own valor.


Audio Review:
This book starts at full throttle and seriously never lets up.

Jackson and Ellery are living together while Jackson's place is still being fixed up and to say things are tense would be an understatement. Ellery would like to make this a permanent arrangement but of course Jackson is fighting it for all the wrong reasons.

Jackson Rivers is probably one of the most stubborn characters I have read and I equally want to slap him upside the head and give him a hug. But is also why I really enjoy these books.

I'm also a fan of books that not only have strong MC's, but have great fully fleshed out secondary characters as well. Jackson's and Ellery's extended families add so much to the story, not only for amusement but also realism.

Greg Tremblay once again does a great job of adding life and depth to the words that Lane has put down on paper. He does a fantastic job of conveying everything that the MC's are feeling and thinking through his tone and delivery.

BUY LINK:
AUDIBLE



RATING: 4 Chocolate-Dipped Strawberries. This book was given to us by Dreamspinner Press.

Lavender Shores by @rosalind_abel #SERIES REVIEW #SERIESSUNDAY

This Sunday's series spotlight is on Rosalind Abel's Lavender Shores. This series set in a quaint town on the California coast is full of hot men, quirky characters and some of the hottest love stories I have read. And I haven't even mentioned the BEAUTIFUL covers!

The first book in the series, The Palisade, is free until April 9th!

The Palisade, Rosalind Abel
Lavender Shores #1
Confident businessman Joel Rhodes sees the small California town of Lavender Shores as nothing more than a business opportunity and a final stepping stone to the position he’s been working toward his entire life. It was supposed to be just one night in town to close the deal, and sleeping with one of the local men, no matter how gorgeous, meant nothing more than a few hours of fun.
Andrew Kelly is perfectly content with the life he has in his hometown. So much so that the only thing missing is someone to share it with. Going to bed with a tourist was never meant to be the answer to his dreams, just a beautiful distraction. He could get back to looking for Mr. Right the next day.
Both Andrew’s and Joel’s worlds are turned upside down when a few hours of pleasure get extended to a couple of days. Even that shouldn’t have been a big deal. You can’t fall in love in that amount of time. That isn’t how it works. However, if destinies collide, a few short days may be all it takes to find your soul mate. Even so, when secrets and motivations get tangled, fate may do nothing more than leave two hearts in pieces.

REVIEW LINK:

http://guiltyindulgencebookclub.blogspot.com/2017/06/the-palisade-by-rosalind-able-review.html

AUDIO REVIEW LINK:

http://guiltyindulgencebookclub.blogspot.com/2018/01/the-palisade-by-rosalindabel-review.html

The Garden
Lavender Shore #2
Beautiful Gilbert Bryant designs jewelry for the rich and famous, and he made his escape from his gossipy little hometown of Lavender Shores. However, with so many friends and family, he keeps getting pulled back. When he attends his best friend’s engagement party, Gilbert can’t help but sample one of the new men in town. It’s just some innocent—or not so innocent—fun. Nothing that will even cross his mind once he gets back to his everyday life.
Walden Thompson dreamed about living in Lavender Shores since he visited as a child. He finally gets his chance, and he embraces the opportunity to start over, to become someone new. He leaves both hurts and dangerous habits in the past, where they belong. When Gilbert crosses his path, Walden gives in to his baser instincts. He can indulge in the carnal pleasures this once and still be okay.
Their few hours together haunt Gilbert, the two-hundred-mile buffer from home no longer shutting out the past or the sexy man he left behind. Walden is just beginning to recover from the smoldering encounter with Gilbert when they are thrust together once more. This time, neither of them can walk away, no matter how hard they try. But when their pasts crash into each other as surely as the magnetism that pulls them together, walking away may be the only option.


REVIEW LINK:

http://guiltyindulgencebookclub.blogspot.com/2017/08/the-garden-by-rosalindabel-review.html

The Veranda
Lavender Shores #3
Donovan Carlisle helps countless people in Lavender Shores with his skills as a therapist. It seems, however, that his ability to enable others to live their happiest life only works outside of himself. Donovan truly loves his life, but isn’t able to find a relationship that satisfies his heart’s craving. Maybe the problem is that the only man he wants is off-limits.
Spencer Epstein came to Lavender Shores to find himself. Instead, he married one of the local town beauties. He’d thought his prayers had finally been answered. Then, he met his pregnant fiancée’s brother. It turned out those answered prayers were just cruel twists of fate.
A decade later, after a divorce and crumbling of all Spencer thought was set in stone, he sees his brother-in-law at a masquerade sex party. He takes full advantage of the anonymity and acts on the desires he’s held at bay all those years. The problem is, those silent and frenzied moments didn’t satiate anything. The fire and heat between the two men only grows as secrets are uncovered and they must determine if the cost of their passion is too high.




REVIEW LINK:

http://guiltyindulgencebookclub.blogspot.com/2017/11/the-veranda-by-rosalindabel-review.html

The Shipwreck
Lavender Shores #4
Lamont Price’s romance novels have been a hit for the past few years. With his gorgeous looks, kind heart, and tender disposition, Lamont is the darling of Lavender Shores. He’s the guy everyone wants to be their best friend, the guy everyone wants to protect. But even with his success and the love of his family, Lamont feels hidden from those around him. Maybe the first step is attending a writing conference and revealing the man behind his pen name....

Tyler Dixon survives off his beauty and charm. From cover model to runway fashion to weekend arm candy, Tyler’s prices aren’t cheap. While his appearance is taking him places, his life as an artist has little more than flatlined. When an author hires him to appear as the face of her brand, Tyler thinks it’s just one more job. Little does he know another writer is going to steal all of his attention.

Escaping the conference to find some breathing room, Lamont runs into Tyler at a bar. Casual conversation leads to Lamont revealing his family’s obsession with helping him find love. It’s not a big deal to Tyler, who has played the role of boyfriend for other people in the past. Before either of them can rethink the situation, Tyler is in Lavender Shores meeting Lamont’s family. Though they’re only pretending to be in a relationship, the chemistry that ignites between them is anything but imaginary…


REVIEW LINK:

http://guiltyindulgencebookclub.blogspot.com/2017/11/the-shipwreck-by-rosalindabel-review.html

The Hideway
Lavender Shores #5
Lavender Shores’s resident tattoo artist, Connor Clark, looks the part—six foot six, musclebound, and covered in ink—and most definitely doesn’t blend in. Grafted into the Bryant family as a teenager to escape his abusive father, the Bryants saved his life, but Connor has never truly felt a part of the founding family royalty. And if his heart’s desire were revealed, it would betray everything the Bryants have done for him.

Micah Bryant was born with a silver spoon in his mouth. He’s always had everything he ever wanted—save the one he desires most. Even moving to New York City for a few years didn’t dampen his passion. Not that Micah had expected it to. He’s known his destiny since he was nine years old, the moment it had walked through his door.

After years of longing, years of secrets and stolen moments of passion and love, Connor weakens enough to allow the town to see how he feels, and let the Bryants know his love for Micah is anything but brotherly. But no sooner had the decision been made than Connor’s biological family returns and shatters it all. Still, Micah holds on to the belief that their romance was written in the stars, but maybe he’d been wrong all those years.

REVIEW LINK:

http://guiltyindulgencebookclub.blogspot.com/2017/11/the-hideaway-by-rosalindabel-review.html

The Glasshouse
Lavender Shores #6
Adrian Rivera lives as he damn well pleases, defying his Lavender Shores family to spend his days farming the beautiful Northern California land. Not one to daydream of true love and romance, Adrian’s social life has always been filled with sex and plenty of good times. Harrison Getty went from NFL star quarterback to America’s gay heartthrob, to reality TV star—with his wedding day broadcast live on national television. But Harrison feels trapped in a Hollywood life dictated by others. To breathe again, he runs from it all… Adrian’s attraction to Harrison has been building for months—even as Harrison prepared to marry another man. Lightning strikes between them, stirring emotions and passions as Adrian finds “the one,” a love that’s meant to be. But can Harrison stop running long enough to know his own heart? Amid scandals and betrayals, Adrian and Harrison struggle to grow their new love even as life’s storms threaten to shatter it all…





REVIEW LINK:

http://guiltyindulgencebookclub.blogspot.com/2018/04/the-glasshouse-by-rosalindabel-review.html

BUY LINK:

AMAZON

The Glasshouse by @rosalind_abel #REVIEW

The Glasshouse, Rosalind Abel
Lavender Shores #6
Adrian Rivera lives as he damn well pleases, defying his Lavender Shores family to spend his days farming the beautiful Northern California land. Not one to daydream of true love and romance, Adrian’s social life has always been filled with sex and plenty of good times. 

Harrison Getty went from NFL star quarterback to America’s gay heartthrob, to reality TV star—with his wedding day broadcast live on national television. But Harrison feels trapped in a Hollywood life dictated by others. To breathe again, he runs from it all… 

Adrian’s attraction to Harrison has been building for months—even as Harrison prepared to marry another man. Lightning strikes between them, stirring emotions and passions as Adrian finds “the one,” a love that’s meant to be. But can Harrison stop running long enough to know his own heart? 

Amid scandals and betrayals, Adrian and Harrison struggle to grow their new love even as life’s storms threaten to shatter it all…





REVIEW:
Yes, I love being back in Lavender Shores! Ah, if only this was a place that really existed.

This book was a bit different for me, I liked Adrian from his snippets in other books, but it took me a while to fall for these guys as a couple. But once I did, I was fully into their story.

Like all the books in this series the story was so much more than it's trope. I shouldn't be surprise at 6 books in that things were going to be much deeper than they appeared on the surface. The journey that Harrison takes was wonderful and heartbreaking to read.

This author pulls you in with these absolutely beautiful covers and the blurb that makes you think it's going to be a light-hearted read and then WHAM! he gets you right in the feels and takes the story in directions that you don't expect. Don't get me wrong there are plenty of funny, sexy times to balance out the harder emotions, but this book like the rest of the series is so much more.

I for one am looking forward to the next book and I am really hoping it's Jasper's story!


Buy Link: AMAZON



RATING: 4 Chocolate-Dipped Strawberries. This book was given to us by the author.

A Wish Upon the Stars, by @tjklune @dreamspinners #REVIEW #ULTIMATEINDULGENCE

A Wish Upon the Stars, TJ Klune, Dreamspinner Press
Tales From Verania #4
Nearly a year ago, blinded by grief and betrayal, Sam of Wilds made a desperate decision to follow the Great White into the Dark Woods. Now, he emerges to a world changed.

The City of Lockes is a prison. The King has been locked away in the dungeons. The Kingdom of Verania has fallen, and the Dark wizard Myrin sits on the throne.

But soon after his return, Sam learns of a resistance fighting in his name led by a courageous knight, a defiant prince, a pissed-off unicorn, and a half-giant who wants to smash everything in sight. If he has any hope of defeating the villains who have taken their home, Sam must face the consequences of his choices—and 

the friends he left behind.








REVIEW:

EPIC!!!

This book was everything I was hoping it would be and more! Just the right mix of poignancy, intensity, and hilarity. It was over the top and then some.

We pick up 11 months after Sam left Verania to go to the Dark Woods and train with the Great White and the other dragons. He knew coming back was going to be hard, he just didn't realize how much things were going to change. His family is displaced, the king is in prison, Randall is missing and worst of all.....Lady Tina is second in command. Not to mention everyone is super pissed at him. So obviously things have gone to Hell.

Shenanigans and snark are in abundance, but there are some really touching moments. This is high fantasy at it's best with all of the quirks that I love about this series. Gary is dramatic, Tiggy is lovable, Ryan is still posing and Sam is still deflecting with his words. A great ending to a larger than life series!




BUY LINKS:
DREAMSPINNER
AMAZON

RATING: 5 Chocolate-Dipped Strawberries. This book was given to us by Dreamspinner.

Twisted and Tied by @MaryCalmes @dreamspinners #REVIEW #ULTIMATEINDULGENCE

Twisted and Tied, Mary Calmes, Dreamspinner Press
Marshalls #4
Deputy US Marshal Miro Jones finally has everything he ever wanted. He’s head-over-heels in love and married to the man of his dreams, his partner Ian Doyle, he’s doing well at work, and all his friends are in good places as well. Things are all tied up nicely… until they’re not.

Change has never been easy for Miro, and when situations at work force the team he’s come to depend on to break apart, and worst of all, his and Ian’s individual strengths put them on two separate paths, he’s pretty certain everything just went up in smoke. But before he can even worry about the future, his past comes for a visit, shaking his world up even more. It’s hard to tell what road he should truly be on, but as he learns some paths are forged and others are discovered, it might be that where he's going is the right course after all. If he can navigate all the twists and turns, he and Ian might just get their happily ever after.



REVIEW:
Buckle up, because like other books in this series, this one takes off and never slows down.

It'a hard to believe that we are finishing up this series, as far as Miro and Ian are concerned, but Ms. Calmes does a fabulous job of tying up loose ends and leaving you wanting more all at the same time.

Things are changing for our MC's and neither one of them is prepared for the directions that life is going to take them. I felt that the deviations the author took from where we all assumed they were going were perfection. Nothing went the way I expected, but it ended up being right where it was supposed to be.  With a few surprises thrown in of course.

This is a brilliant, fast paced, gritty, beautiful, sexy adventure and I was happy to be along for the ride!

RATING: 5 Chocolate-Dipped Strawberries. This book was given to us by Dreamspinner Press.