Another SON OF TEXAS #Review @NetGalley: The Protector @Donna_Grant

EVERYTHING’S HOTTER IN TEXAS
When Marine Force Recon captain Cullen Loughman learns that his father’s been kidnapped, he will do whatever it takes to find him. In order to achieve his mission, Cullen will need to team up with the best of the best—someone who just happens to be the most stunning woman he’s ever laid eyes on…

This isn’t the first rodeo for ex--Air Force pilot Mia Carter. Still, Cullen’s bad-boy good looks and charm are distracting her from duty. . .and it appears that the feeling is mutual. As Mia and Cullen make their descent into a dark, dangerous world, their attraction reaches the boiling point. But is their desire worth the risk when a ruthless enemy is waiting in the wings—or will their Lone Star love conquer all, in The Protector, the next Sons of Texas novel by New York Times bestselling author Donna Grant.

REVIEW
Building on the first book in the series (see The Hero review here), The Protector spotlights another brother in his pursuit to find his father still held in captivity. The bonus is the love he finds along the way. With action and suspense surrounding them, this love story is fast and hot. I enjoyed this even more than the first book, and now can't wait for book three.

I read the book and listened to it on audio as well. While I liked both formats, there's something about the sexy southern voice on audio that draws me more deeply into the story. See my full review of the audiobook on my Audible.com Listener Page.

RATING
4 Chocolate-Dipped Strawberries
This book was given to us by the author through NetGalley. Many thanks.

New Release @RiptideBooks! LONG SHADOWS @Kate_Sherwood @NetGalley #Review

Long Shadows (Common Law, #1)
by Kate Sherwood with Riptide Publishing

LA cop Jericho Crewe got the hell out of Mosely, Montana, when he was seventeen. Fifteen years later, he’s back, and everything is just as messed up as when he left. He planned a quick visit to deal with his injured father, but of course things are never that simple. Family complications, police complications, social complications—and, as always, Wade Granger complications.

Jericho and Wade had been so close, once upon a time. First friends, then more than friends—and then, after Jericho’s escape, nothing. Wade’s magnetism hasn’t been lessened by a decade and a half apart; even when Jericho learns that Wade is the prime suspect in the death of Jericho’s father, the old connection still sparks.

When Jericho’s newly discovered half siblings are kidnapped, he needs to trust someone to help him find them. Wade’s a terrible choice, but Jericho’s never been known for his good judgment. Anyway, he’d rather make a bad decision with Wade than a good one with anybody else.

REVIEW
Suspense filled this book from word one. Jericho walks into the unknown when he returns home, and surprises come at him from every turn. Unraveling the mystery of how his father died and protecting a newly discovered family are his focus. There's a good deal of set up in this book, introducing characters and their backgrounds, which slowed the book down a bit. But I'm hopeful the next book will be even better than the first.

Another Kate Sherwood good read.

RATING
4 Chocolate-Dipped Strawberries
This book was given to us by the publisher through NetGalley. Many thanks.

#Audiobook #Review: What's Left of Me @KLewisNovels

What's Left of Me by Kimberly Lewis on audio was a good listen. It was a sweet story of forgiveness and reunion with just enough angst to keep it moving quickly. Though short, readers get a full love story worth the credit.

Letting go of the past is never easy…

Jenna Olsen has spent the last four years trying to move on from the heartache that tore her world apart, but when Cole Sullivan suddenly shows up back in town all of those feelings come flooding back…and even some new ones she didn’t know were possible.

Leaving town all those years ago was necessary, but now that Cole finally has a handle on his life he decides to return home to his family, friends, and the woman he just can’t forget.

Coming back home though comes with its costs, and Cole ultimately has to decide…will he be able to fight his inner demons to keep Jenna in his life, or will the chance of hurting her again be too much to risk?

RATING
3 Chocolate-Dipped Strawberries
This book was given to us by the author. Many thanks.

New Release! THE HERO #Review @Donna_Grant @NetGalley

The Hero by Donna Grant is the first book in her new Sons of Texas series. Readers are immediately immersed in the suspense, then slowly enchanted with romance. There is a lot going on as the author introduces her world and by the end, I was ready to read more - I needed to know what happens next. Though it ends in an HEA, the intrigue goes unresolved and leaves readers wondering if, how and when... Great beginning to a new series!

THE HERO’S HOMECOMING

Owen Loughman is a highly-decorated Navy SEAL who has a thirst for action. But there’s one thing he hasn’t been able to forget – his high school sweetheart, Natalie. After over a decade away, Owen is returned home to the ranch in Texas for a dangerous new mission that puts him face-to-face with Natalie and an outside menace that threatens everything he holds dear. He’ll risk it all to keep Natalie safe – and win her heart. . . .

Natalie Dixon has had a lifetime of heartache since Owen was deployed. Fourteen years and one bad marriage later, she finds herself mixed up with the Loughman’s again. With her life on the line against an enemy she can’t fight alone, it’s Owen’s strong shoulders, smoldering eyes, and sensuous smile that she turns to. When danger closes in, she holds close to the only man she’s ever loved…

RATING
4 Chocolate-Dipped Strawberries
This book was given to us by the author through NetGalley. Many thanks.

Ultimate Indulgence @NetGalley #REVIEW of Perfect Rage @NashodaRose

PERFECT RAGE is everything I imagined it was going to be. This is Connor's story, and I'd been waiting for it since his existence was first hinted at. The author reveals the past eleven years of Connor's life - it's painful, suspenseful and so damn horrifying - and then the love story between Connor and his shutterbug. The angst is worth it to get to the ending. Loved it!

Unstable.Unpredictable.
Consumed by perfect rage.
I was fighting who I’d become and what I’d done.
There was nothing I cared about except her.

She was mine.
But I’d forgotten her—my shutterbug.
And I lost her.
Until now.

I’d do anything to possess her again.
Anything to keep her safe.
Protect her against my biggest opponent.
The monster.

Me.

This amazing series must be read in order:
Perfect Chaos (Unyielding, #1)
Perfect Ruin (Unyielding, #2)
Perfect Rage (Unyielding, #3)

RATING
5 Chocolate-Dipped Strawberries
This book was given to us by the author through NetGalley. Many thanks.

#SeriesSunday The Thirds #REVIEW @CharlieCochet #MMRomance @Dreamspinners

I've already reviewed the first two books of the Thirds series but now I've listened to the the first five on audiobook and I have to tell everyone how awesome this series is... these men are real - they're funny and intense, caring and strong and the best group of men you could meet.

Best PNR/ Sci Fi M/M Series Ever.

THIRDS series
With the panic and growing number of casualties both Human and Therian during the riots of the 1980s, it was clear something had to be done to ensure public safety, and offer an unbiased justice system for Therian citizens. After a new Therian legislation branch of the government was established, along with the implementation of Therian laws, officials answered the cries of its citizens for a new law enforcement agency equipped to handle Therian threats.

In 1990, the Therian-Human Intelligence, Recon, Defense, Squadron -or- the THIRDS, opened its doors, pairing every Human element within the organization with a Therian one, in the pursuit of justice for all species.

Hell & High Water (THIRDS, #1)... listened and fell in love
Blood & Thunder (THIRDS, #2)... listened and loved
Rack & Ruin (THIRDS, #3)... listened and loved
Rise & Fall (THIRDS, #4)... listened and loved
Against the Grain (THIRDS #5)... listened and loved
Catch a Tiger by the Tail (THIRDS, #6)... just released
Smoke & Mirrors (THIRDS, #7)... coming soon

RATING: 5 Chocolate-Dipped Strawberries
This book was given to us by the author. Many thanks.

Read My #REVIEW of SEMPER FI @JHarveyBerrick ... It's Indulgent!

Semper Fi (The Education of... #3) by Jane Harvey-Berrick is the final book of the series. Yes, its a re-telling but it's also worth the read to see the story from Sebastian's POV. There is so much new content that readers get a completely new experience even as it rounds out their full love story.

READ THE ENTIRE SERIES... it's a beautiful -and real- romance.

One life, one love 
Sempre e per sempre 

Ten years ago US Marine Sebastian Hunter was a teenager in love with a married woman—a woman who broke his heart.

Kicking his heels in a desk job in Geneva, he’s given the chance to get back to the action. Life just might be worth living again … until he meets the woman who broke him 10 years earlier.

Now she’s back, but he’ll do anything to keep her at arm’s length. Temptation doesn’t come much stronger, but he’d be a fool to fall for her again…

Caroline Venzi is a successful journalist, preparing to head out to report from the front lines of the war in Afghanistan. Love is the last thing on her mind when she crosses paths with Marine Sebastian Hunter.

Will this chance encounter reignite the erotic passion of their past?

Profits of this book support the military charities Felix Fund (UK) and EOD Warrior Foundation (USA)

RATING: 5 Chocolate-Dipped Strawberries
This book was given to us by the author. Many thanks. 

#AudioBook #Review: SURVIVING ICE @KathleenATucker by KA Tucker

Surviving Ice (Burying Water #4) by K.A. Tucker has just as many plot twists as all the other books in the series. Seriously, how does the author come up with these things? What I like most about this entire series is that by the end, a reader is actually impressed the couple truly made it through their obstacles and found an HEA. I couldn't stop listening (I did the audiobook version) because the action didn't let up until the very end. Though Ivy was a unique character, her weakness for love was no different from any other. It was sweet to see her finally fall after meeting her as a secondary character in the other books.

The USA TODAY bestselling author of the Ten Tiny Breaths series and Burying Water—which Kirkus Reviews called “a sexy, romantic, gangster-tinged page-turner”—returns with a new novel packed with romance, plot twists, and psychological suspense.

Ivy, a talented tattoo artist who spent the early part of her twenties on the move, is finally looking for a place to call home. She thinks she might have found it in San Francisco, but all that changes when she witnesses a terrible crime. She’s ready to pack up her things yet again, when a random encounter with a stranger keeps her in the city, giving her reason to stay after all.

That is, until Ivy discovers that their encounter wasn’t random. Not at all…

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

REVIEW @NetGalley: Easy Silence @BethRinyuWriter

Easy Silence by Beth Rinyu is a powerfully emotional story of eternal love. It's a poignant story but a painful read so be sure to have some tissues handy.

They say you never forget your first love. No matter how many more come along or how much time
goes by, there will always be that one person who will be forever embedded deep inside your heart and soul. For me, that was Jaxson Callahan.

We were complete opposites. I was a senator’s daughter. My parents were always too busy keeping up appearances on the political scene to show me love, so instead they bought my affection. He was the son of a woman who allowed men to use and abuse her as well as him, just for her next fix.

We became each other’s solace during that summer we met, creating a lifetime of memories in three short months. I provided him with a sense of hope that there was more than just the harsh reality of the life he had grown accustomed to, and he showed me a genuine love that I had been yearning for my entire life. We vowed to be together forever. I loved him and he loved me…. and nothing would keep us apart.

Nothing except the secrets that were hiding in that small seaside town. Secrets that altered our destiny. We were never given any warning as we watched our future shake, crumble and disappear altogether, leaving us with nothing but memories of a bittersweet past.

Life can be beautiful. Life can be kind. And, life can be heartless…..because nothing about our situation was fair.

RATING: 4 Chocolate-Dipped Strawberries
This book was provided to us through NetGalley. Many thanks.

Once A Hero by @AriMckay1 @torquere #REVIEW

Once A Hero, Ari McKay, Torquere Press
Herc's Mercs #4
Ezra Levin spent years as a soldier, just as his father had wished. But after stints in the Israeli military, the Mossad, and finally as a member of Hercules Security, the man once known as “Ghost” decides to retire and pursue his own dreams of being a chef. At forty-five, he knows his yearning to have a partner and a family of his own are probably unattainable, but as a private chef for Judge Mason Whittaker and his young son, Jamie, Ezra finds some measure of fulfillment.


Unfortunately, Mason’s past as a District Attorney has made him a lot of enemies - one of whom seems to be looking for payback. When a series of unsettling events disturbs the Whittaker household, Ezra immediately steps up, wanting to protect Mason and Jamie. He calls upon his old friend, Cade Thornton, for help, as a cunning criminal plays a game of cat and mouse that endangers Mason’s life. Ezra realizes that Mason has come to mean far more to him than just an employer, and that he’s going to have to use all his old skills to stop a killer - or else he just might wind up losing the man he loves.


REVIEW:
This is the fourth installment in the Herc's Mercs series and my favorite so far. When the story begins  Ezra has been working for Mason for a while so their relationship didn't feel rushed or contrived but the sexual tension between them was palpable.

Ezra has done the military/mercenary thing and now wants nothing more than to create things in the kitchen and take care of a family. He has found that with the Whittakers. So when events start to unfold that could jeopardize them he doesn't hesitate to dust off his old skills and call in reinforcements.

At first Mason doesn't see the danger and feels that Ezra is over-reacting and overstepping, but when it comes to the safety of his son, Jamie, he doesn't want to take any chances.

The author does a great job of giving each character their own voice. Ezra's is much more formal, which given his background made sense and read true for me. It made it easier for me to recognize their different voices in my head. It also read true when it came to Jamie's character, his voice and mannerisms were that of a 12 year old boy.

The mystery unfolds quickly and creates that sense of urgency that makes the book read quickly, and also makes it impossible to put down once you get started. So if you are looking for something hot and fast, Once a Hero is one to grab.



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

 

NEW RELEASE! #REVIEW Sharp Shootin' Cowboy by Victoria Vane @AuthorVictoriaV

Sharp Shootin' Cowboy (Hot Cowboy Nights #3) by Victoria Vane took a completely different turn from the first two books in the series. It wasn't until the end that the connection was made clear. The story was unexpected -much of it took place outside of a ranch setting- but engaging as an unlikely couple found their HEA despite taking the long road home.

TAKE YOUR BEST SHOT, COWBOY…

A Weary warrior… After eight years as a Marine sniper, war-scarred Reid Everett is back in his native Wyoming. He knows and loves this rugged land, so working for wildlife services to reduce the booming wolf population suits him to a T.

A Caring crusader… Wildlife biologist Haley Cooper is desperate to make a difference. Leaving the world of academia behind, she accepts a position as a wolf advocate to protect the animals she loves.

Raw attraction… Their jobs set them on a collision course, but chemistry sparks like wildfire between Reid and Haley. They’ll have to brave some rough territory if they hope to reconcile their polarizing views with a passion that won’t be denied.

RATING: 4 Chocolate-Dipped Strawberries
This book was provided through NetGalley. Many thanks.

A MUST READ! #Audiobook #REVIEW Here With Me by Heidi McLaughlin @HeidiJoVT

Here with Me (The Archer Brothers #1) by Heidi McLaughlin is an amazingly passionate

and intensely emotional story. It's one of those books that stays with you after you finish reading.

Ryley Clarke has grown up with the military in her blood, with both parents serving their country. Ryley knows the risks of being married to the military. But when the unthinkable happens, and her future husband is killed in action, Ryley can barely survive... until Evan's twin brother, Nate, helps her pick up the pieces.

After serving on a special mission with the military for six years, Evan Archer returns home to find the unthinkable - the love of his life, Ryley Clarke - engaged to his brother, Nate. With Nate on deployment, Evan needs to figure out what happened in his absence, and more importantly, how to win Ryley back from the man he once considered his best friend, but now thinks of as his rival.

There's more to this story than first meets the eye as information is uncovered after Evan returns. Something just isn't right about his final military mission. As I listened to the audiobook, I could imagine the pain and heartbreak from each of the characters. So well written, I was swept into the emotion of their circumstances. I don't envy Ryley having to come to a decision between the brothers. The moment the book ended, I wanted to know what would happen next. Can't wait to read the next book!

RATING: 5 Chocolate-Dipped Strawberries

NEW RELEASE! #NetGalley #REVIEW: Chasing Claire by Paula Marinaro

Chasing Claire (Hells Saints Motorcycle Club #2) by Paula Marinaro

Claire Winston knows she’s lucky to be alive—and even luckier to have the love and protection of a man like Prosper, her adoptive father and leader of the Hells Saints Motorcycle Club. Yet, try as she may, she can’t leave yesterday behind. She’s still haunted by Reno, the bad-boy biker her heart loves but her spirit fears. And she can’t seem to escape the terrifying memories of a night filled with blood, bullets, and brutality.

Hells Saints soldier Reno has tried everything with liquor and lace to get Claire off his mind. But he just can’t forget her freckles, her fierce fragility, and her tender heart. He knows he’s the only man who can give her the love she truly deserves.

As Claire and Reno spiral back into each other’s lives, they wonder if happiness is finally in their cards. But when violence once again explodes around them, Claire must decide if she really can trust Reno and commit to life with him—or if she’ll stay chained to her past forever.

REVIEW
The second book in Marinaro's series was better written than the first but the story just wasn't as intense. Much of the book was sidetracked into another couple's story. While some writers will foreshadow things to come for future couples in a series, the percentage of time given in the book to Glory's story was too much.

That being said, still Claire and Reno's story was well told. Their journey to finding their HEA was obviously a difficult one but the obstacles they overcome and their perseverance demonstrated their love. Along with the secondary characters, the author is creating a family I want to read more about. I believe with each book, this new author is finding her voice... and she's definitely capturing my interest as a reader.

RATING
3 Chocolate-Dipped Strawberries
This book was given to us through NetGalley. Many thanks.

Alpha, Delta by @Rjscott_author @allromance #REVIEW

Alpha, Delta, RJ Scott, All Romance eBooks
Alpha Series
An ARe Alphas Release!

Officer Finn Hallan has never run from a fight. With Niall’s life and love at stake, he’s not about to start now…

Finn Hallan is a member of the elite Norwegian Emergency Response Unit, code name Delta. When the team is sent to respond to a hostage situation on an oil platform in the Norwegian Sea, he has to face demons he thought he had buried a long time ago.

Scottish engineer Niall Faulkner’s skills in oil platform decommissioning takes him to the Forseti platform at the worst possible time. When he’s captured by terrorists, his only thought is that he will never get to tell his lover how he really feels.

Can Finn keep Niall alive? Or will they both die at the hands of hijackers in the frigid waters of the Norwegian Sea?


REVIEW:
Finn is Alpha with a capitol A, and when he sees Niall at a conference the nerdy engineer not only brings out his protective instincts but his "gotta have him" feelings as well. While he would like more than a one night stand with Niall he isn't looking for something serious.

Finn is the best looking thing that Niall has seen in forever, and after an weekend of incredible sex he is happy to see the Delta officer whenever he can. But the more time the two men spend together the deeper Niall's feeling become.

The a terrorist bent on revenge may take away the chance they have and building something bigger.

I liked this story and it felt like the author had done her research as far as the oil platform aspects went. Niall and Finn were likeable engaging characters and I would like to read about more of the Delta team. There were several times when the two MC's names were mixed up and some editing errors that pulled me out of the story a bit, but overall a great storyline.


RATING: 3 Chocolate-Dipped Strawberries.  This book was given to us by the author. Many thanks.

 

Rough Rider by Victoria Vane #REVIEW @authorvictoriav

Rough Rider (Hot Cowboy Nights #2)

by Victoria Vane

Two loves ...
Janice Combes has two loves, bucking bulls and Dirk Knowlton. But Dirk only has eyes for a dazzling rodeo queen. How can Janice ever compete while mired ankle-deep in manure? Exchanging playful banter with Dirk is all Janice can expect-until the stormy night he knocks on her door dripping wet and needing a place to crash.

Different Dreams...
Dirk Knowlton is living the cowboy dream. Life should be good-roping, branding, backing broncs, riding bulls, but there's a void he can't seem to fill. After getting hung up by a bull, he wonders if this is really the life he wants. Restless and rebellious, he bolts...but there's a certain cowgirl he can't forget.

When a battle-scarred Dirk returns to his Montana ranch he's determined to hang on at any cost. Janice has come back home to lick her own wounds. When old dreams turn to dust, can two wary hearts take another chance on love?

REVIEW
The second book in Victoria Vane's cowboy series is a solid follow-up to the first book. Readers get the story of Dirk, Wade's brother, and his long path to finding happiness. Much of the story is bittersweet though generously interspersed with some spice. Dirk and Janice heat up the pages when they connect. Their relationship develops slow and naturally, everything about them feeling real. By the time the ending nears, readers are rewarded with a tender HEA that will pull at your heart strings.

RATING
4 Chocolate-Dipped Strawberries
This book was given to us by the author through NetGalley. Many thanks.

Herc's Mercs by @AriMckay1 @torquere #REVIEW

The Bigger They Come, Ari McKay, Torquere Press
Herc's Mercs #1
Cade “Hercules” Thornton is an ex-Marine and soldier of fortune; now he’s the owner of Hercules Security, which provides the best bodyguards in the business. After his leg was crushed and reconstructed, Cade doesn’t do field work anymore - until a challenge is issued to him by wealthy Kate Morgan, who wants her “bookish” grandson protected from a stalker. She insists on having the very best bodyguard available, and that is Cade himself.

But there is nothing laid back or bookish about Dr. Jude Morgan. Having lived under the thumb of his grandmother his entire life, Jude is insistent that he doesn’t need a babysitter. Sparks fly when Cade tries to insinuate himself into Jude’s life, and Cade knocks Jude on his ass - literally.

Yet the danger to Jude is real, and Cade is the only thing standing between him and an increasingly more terrifying stalker. Cade’s protective feelings for his client become something more, while Jude begins to realize that his brawny, neo-Viking protector is a man unlike anyone he’s ever known. Yet as Cade and Jude grow closer, so does the danger.

Cade will stop at nothing to protect Jude, but Jude’s stalker is determined to get his man - even if he has to kill Cade Thornton to do it.

REVIEW:
Ok so this one started off a little weird for me. There was something that happened early on that didn't seem to fit Cade's personality, and while it was addressed, it still felt off for me.

I liked the stalker story line and felt that a longer book really could have explored that more and really upped the scare factor.

Both MC's had kind of abrasive personalities but that just made the coming together all the sweeter. Most of the story centered around Cade and Jude so it didn't have too many secondary characters but the few that were there stood out, like Jude's grandmother and Red. And lets just say that I was really looking forward to learning more about Red.

A strong start to a new series and one that left me wanting to know more.

RATING: 3 Chocolate-Dipped Strawberries.

Line in the Sand
Herc's Mercs #2
Alec “Red” Davis is Hercules Security’s director of operations, a man who is brave and honorable and yet also a stickler for following the rules. When Cade Thornton says that Alec is losing his touch, Alec takes a position as private bodyguard to Jonathan Baldwin, an up-and-coming actor starring in one of Hollywood’s hottest new franchises.

Jon is attractive, personable, and grateful for his fans, which, unfortunately, makes keeping him safe a real challenge. As Alec is drawn more and more into Jon’s life, he finds his admiration for his client growing -- as well as an attraction which is strictly against his professional ethics. Unfortunately for Alec’s peace of mind, Jon finds Alec equally attractive, and Alec finds himself torn between duty and desire.

Then, while guarding Jon on an “adventure” vacation in Central America, a flash flood puts both their lives in danger. Alec finds himself pushed to his limits in a race against time to save the man he loves before time runs out -- for both of them.

REVIEW:
We met Red in the first book and I was intrigued, so I was happy to see his story was next.

This book is really super sweet and I love that the author really takes the time to develop these relationships. There is the insta attraction but the real deep feelings take time to come to fruition.

There isn't an outside element that is trying to come between these two characters it's all about the situation they find themselves in and the way that adversity brings these two people together.

Red may have tried to fight the attraction at first but it was always there and you knew eventually he was going to realize it.

I am really enjoying this series and the kick ass alpha men that aren't afraid to show their feelings.


RATING: 3 Chocolate-Dipped Strawberries.

Bloody but Unbowed
Herc's Mercs #3
Daryl Greer isn’t a bodyguard. He’s Hercules Security’s “odd-job” specialist, as wild and dangerous, as he is competent. Fiercely independent, he resents his older brother Matthew’s view that he spends his life “playing G.I. Joe”. When he’s sent to rescue a kidnapped scientist, Dr. Emerson Winfield, from a terrorist organization, Daryl finds himself attracted to the snarky, outspoken man even though Emerson is the kind of rich, successful person Matthew claims could never be interested in a hick like Daryl.

For his part, Emerson doesn’t care about Daryl’s lack of polish; he’s more interested in the incredible chemistry between them. He sets out to prove to Daryl that they can make a relationship work despite their differences. But Daryl’s defensiveness about his career drives a wedge between them -- and if he doesn’t find a way to deal with his issues, Daryl might lose Emerson forever.


REVIEW:
Daryl and Emerson couldn't be more wrong for each other other than the fact that they are exactly what the other needs.

I loved Emerson's smart ass mouth and the back and forth between the two men was fun to read. You knew from the beginning that Daryl had a chip on his shoulder, but that just made his fall even more fun to read.

I really enjoyed the fact that Emerson loved Daryl for who he was and didn't want to change him, but Daryl wanted to change for Emerson.

This was my favorite story in the series so far and I can't wait to see who is next. The writing keeps getting stronger and I am in for the duration!

And I have to say that I am very intrigued by Matthew's, Daryl's brother, relationship and wouldn't mind reading more about it.

RATING: 4 Chocolate-Dipped Strawberries.


These books were given to us by Torquere Press. Many thanks.


 

AudioBook #REVIEW @Dreamspinners The Guy From Glamour @SkylarMCates

The Guy From Glamour (The Guy #1)
written by Skylar M. Cates
narrated by Matt Baca
published by Dreamspinner

Listening Time: 8 hrs 21 mins

Anthony Carrino loves his big, gregarious Italian-American family, even if his sisters are interfering, and his dad, the local sheriff, knows everything going on in town. He's happy as a middle school guidance counselor. Despite helping kids and their parents fix their problems, Anthony can't manage to get his own love life right. If only everyone would stop calling him the "nice" guy.

Dean Pierce doesn't do relationships. A tough-minded military man, he is dedicated to his job as a Night Stalker, flying Chinook helicopters and not speaking much to anybody. He certainly doesn't want to deal with a mess of emotions. But when tragedy strikes, Dean finds his hands full with his troubled niece, her irresistible guidance counselor, and a meddlesome family, which includes a rather large puppy.

REVIEW:
A sweet and tender romance, the story felt authentic as the relationship developed at a nice pace. Characters, including the array of secondary characters, were well developed and easily likable. Anyone who enjoys m/m romance will fall for these guys.

RATING: 
4 Chocolate-Dipped Strawberries
This audiobook was given to us by the publisher. Many thanks.

Book #REVIEW: The Charlotte Chronicles by Jen Frederick @JenSFred

The Charlotte Chronicles (Jackson Boys #1) by Jen Frederick begins a new generation of lovers.

Charlotte and Nathan were supposed to be forever. They grew up together. Their families were intertwined. Charlotte was Nathan's first love. Nathan was Charlotte's first everything.

Until they weren't.

How do you hold on to the person you know in your heart you are supposed to be with when everything and everyone in the universe is telling you it's over?

How many times does a heart break?
When is enough…..enough?
How long is forever?

REVIEW
Oh my, those Jackson boys! I just might like this series more than the first series that focused on their parents. The intensity of the situations these young adults are placed in ratchets up the emotion. Watching Charlotte and Nathan live -both together and separately- gave readers a multi-dimensional picture of who they were. And I loved the concept of seeing the next generation of these families find their HEA.

RATING
5 Chocolate-Dipped Strawberries
This book was given to us by the author through NetGalley. Many thanks.

Perfect Chaos BLOG TOUR & #REVIEW #UltimateIndulgence @NashodaRose #CONTEST

GEORGIE

I lie to survive.

Have since I was sixteen and my world fell into chaos. But I found a way to endure, or rather it found me. Now I’m a prisoner of my own doing, hiding behind a false mask so no one sees the truth. Not even the man I want but can’t have—Deck. But I messed up and the lies are spilling over, out of control.

Deck is unrelenting and will settle for nothing less than the truth. He demands everything from me—EVERYTHING—even if it rips me apart.

DECK
I kill for a living.

Unyielding—It’s how I survive in my line of work. I bend people to my will…except Georgie.
But that ends now.
I've played her game for far too long, but not anymore. Now I think it's time we play mine.

*18+ due to sexual content, strong language and violence.



REVIEW
Here's the indisputable truth: Nashoda Rose has written great stories before this one but she has taken it to a whole new level of perfection in Perfect Chaos.

This book brings it - you've got beautiful love, drama, suspense, sexy alpha men and healing. Written so tightly that every scene matters, the story of Deck and Georgie is absolute perfect chaos. Once everything is unveiled in a series of interactions, there's no denying just how much these two wayward lovers were meant to be together. The action keeps readers turning pages while the sex will have you salivating. Then there's those moments -especially from Deck's POV- where you think you'll just melt.

Yes, I have found my new book boyfriend. Hands off, ladies, if Georgie lets him go, he's all mine! ;)

RATING
5 Chocolate-Dipped Strawberries 
This book was given to us by the author. Many thanks.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR (aside from the fact I think she's amazing...)

Nashoda Rose lives in Toronto with her assortment of pets. She writes contemporary (NA) romance with a splash of darkness, or maybe it’s a tidal wave. Her novella ""With You"" is the first in the Tear Asunder series, followed by the novel ""Torn from You"".

When she isn’t writing, she can be found sitting in a field reading with her dog at her side while her horses graze nearby. She loves interacting with her readers on Facebook and chatting about her addiction—books.

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