DOWN TO YOU by M. Leighton

Down to You by M. Leighton
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I knew from reading the book description what the deal was with Nash/Cash. It was just too evident. But, that didn't keep me from liking the story. Although I have no idea how Olivia couldn't figure it out. Was she so caught up in her head and not wanting the bad boy of the two that she couldn't see the forest for the trees?

I understand Nash/Cash's reasons for doing what they do, but pursuing Olivia while he's sleeping with Marrisa is an issue for me. I just don't get how she can get over that so easily.

I am looking forward to the sequel. Obviously neither of them will die, but I'm looking forward to seing how thing unfold with this more dangerous aspect to the story.

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WAKING UP MARRIED by Mira Lyn Kelly

Waking Up Married by Mira Lyn Kelly
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

NetGalley free read...

It was cute. Not typically something I would buy to read, but I really enjoyed the story. I found the relationship angst believable. When people bring their baggage of family and relationships with them, it's easy to find it hard to trust, especially when you barely know the person you are married to.

I believed that two people could find a crazy connection one night in Vegas and have so many similarities that it felt right, but Megan's jump to move from Denver to San Diego the next day didn't seem real. Maybe it's the fact that her job was of a consultant and something she could do from almost any computer, I just felt there should be more thought into it.

As I've said in other reviews, I rarely give 5 stars. It has to be something spectacular and that I haven't ever read or have such an emotional response to that I can't help but give it 5 stars. The only reason this hasn't gotten 4 stars is because of the simple story. It may not be fair to mark down because of that, but it just means that I probably won't remember the story after a week when I've read 5 other books.

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BEAUTIFUL BASTARD by Christina Lauren

Beautiful Bastard by Christina Lauren
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

NetGalley free read...

Where to begin? I thought that the arguing interaction between Bennett and Chloe was hysterical. Although I don't know any boss who would let his assistant speak to him the way she did, no matter how big of a jerk he was.

I feel like that story has a lot of potential. The substance of the story was missing though. I mean details like we don't even know kind of car Chloe drives as we read about she and Bennett having sex in the back seat. Not every backseat is equal.

There are glaring grammatical and structural errors in the book, like starting a sentence with a lowercase letter, names not capitalized, sections of the book, which I assume were added or adjusted placed out of order. Example is the section where Chloe gives Bennett a blow job while they are in San Francisco. You're reading along when there's a word out of place then you continue to read and then the added (red) section comes up at the end and you realize it was supposed to be at two pages back at the beginning where you were confused.

The sex was great to read. For as much of it as there was, the writer made each action interesting. Some of the peripheral characters should be built up a bit better and for us to know who they are and what they mean to the main characters.

Also, the author misses an opportunity to have someone outside of the relationship screw things up for either Bennett or Chloe when he is witnessed staring a her during the convention.

The author also glosses over what the Convention is really for. I gleam from the book that it's where interns and their companies do an early presentation of what their thesis will be as well as get the opportunity to mingle and try to make connections to get a job when they graduate. Not really sure since Bennett ends up having some kind of meeting with another company to give them one of their smaller contracts, which doesn't make any sense.

I didn't hate it and laughed in quite a few places, which is why I didn't give it one star. But it's not going to win any literary prizes and had a lot of errors, which is why I didn't give it more than two stars.

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RED ZONE by Sherri Hayes

Red Zone by Sherri Hayes
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

NetGalley free read...

This was a really cute romance. I rarely give 5 full stars for anything and the only reason I didn't give this 4 stars is because of the structure of the book. I really hate it when dialoge from two different people is in the same line, let alone paragraph. I read Need and Slave before by Sherri and don't remember that being the case in those books, although I could be wrong.

I liked that Gage was a confirmed bachelor, yet his meeting Rebecca was a necessity and that meeting changed his mind about what he was willing to have in his life. It seems realistic unlike many other books of this ilk where someone meets a wealthy successful guy who is determined to be single and his first meeting with the girl in the book causes him to to a complete one eighty. It wasn't so in this case. Gage just wanted to get with her. The more time he spent with her, he realized he liked her more and more and that she was special. I liked that.

I wanted to know if Megan and Paul connect while she's taking care of his daughter. I felt the ending was a little abrupt. But I really enjoyed the story. Thought it was sweet.

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NO TAKEBACKS (Give &Take #1.5) by Kelli Maine

No Take Backs: A Taken Novella by Kelli Maine
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

NetGalley free read...

Okay, now this makes me want to read Give & Take #2. Unfortunately, I feel like the author spent too much time confusing me in the first book. Telling us half stories and not making things clear at all. I get want to have to big reveal, but it just didn't make any sense until now.

I still don't believe its so easy to fall for someone who kidnapp's you so easily. There has to be a lot of work to be done to trust and I don't think they went through that work. Especially since he seemed to want to leave her as quickly as she did something she didn't want to do.

I still don't understand how easy it could be for his father to take his business, even if he did reveal that he had a kid. And why wasn't Rachael even curious as to the father's motivations in taking the business. Also, no parent is under the obligation to leave anything he's worked for to his progeny. I just don't get all the cloak and dagger of it all. But I would be happy to read book #2 to find out now.

so much better in story telling than the first book. I don't know how that's possible, but it was done.



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TAKEN (Give & Take #1) by Kelli Maine

Taken by Kelli Maine
My rating: 1 of 5 stars

NetGalley free read...

I knew the moment Rachael tells Merrick Rocha the story about the hotel and how the original owner basically kidnapped his love to have her with him that this wasn't going to work out well.

I mean Merrick Rocha is a billionaire. Not only should he know the laws and that even he should not be able to get away with kidnapping, but there are so many better choices to the situation. Then there's Rachael, who's mother is so dependent on her that she would risk her daughters future to be selfish enough to keep her from taking a job that could not only change her live, but make her career. And that Rachael is so short sighted that she couldn't come up with alternatives to make sure her mother was taken care of so she could take the job. I mean, look at how easy it was for Merrick to send the woman off on a European cruise in order to give Rachael the ability to take the job.

One of the first things Rachael thinks is about her attraction to Rocha, even when she's first tied up. I'm mean, come on. that's a little ridiculous. Then after he unties her and takes her for a tour of the island, they both engage in flirtatious banter. I mean why does he need her so much? Why was he stalking her after she turned the job down? It just doesn't make any sense.

Then Merrick is trying to get Rachael to trust him and care for him so he can have sex with her, and what does he do? He has his attractive assistant, Joan, show up who it's clear he's had a sexual relationship with and then he has the woman do the sexual acts he says he won't do to Rachael unless she asks. It was jut insane. And for someone, Rachael, who's only had two sexual partners in the past, this is an extreme jump in trying something new.

I also though the writing was so convoluted and confusing. Merrick eludes to the fact that he will only kiss or touch Rachael if she initiates it or if she asks. But he kiss on her and touches her all the time. Even the time with Joan, he continually says no touching, but then he touches her. It makes no sense.

Then best line of the book though is when they get back together, of coures, and in her musings she thinks, "This is going to be a disaster-we are going to be a disaster. One of us is weak in insecure, the other f'ed up and emotionally detached, searching for a life-line."

The one thing I do like about the book is how its told completely from Rachael's point of view. All of her thoughts and exposition are as if she's telling the story in a journal. Referring to Merrick as 'you' when he does anything, i.e., 'you walked towards me.'

I may not know enough about business, but I seriously don't understand how Merrick, who took a few properties and made it into an international billion dollar company can have it taken away by his accountant father. Something just doesn't make sense to me. More should have been explained about this. Why would a man who didn't have time for a few small properties, now have so much time for a billion dollar international conglomerate?

My rating is actually 1.5 stars. I didn't hate it. There are things about the writing style I liked, I just feel like the story is was nothing special and there are too many questions as to motivations, why anyone would fall that quickly for their capture, even though he's not the typical capture.

I'm reading No Takebacks because I got it with this one through NetGalley, but it will have to very special and answer a lot of questions for me to consider reading the Give & Take #2.

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TEMPTING THE BILLIONAIRE by Jessica Lemmon

Tempting the Billionaire by Jessica Lemmon
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

NetGalley free read....

I liked it. Thought it was cute, but I had issues with the character's issues. I sort of understand that Shane's family life was problematic, which caused his issues with commitment. But why include his extended family if they aren't there to acknowledge that his upbringing was screwy and to be there to reaffirm that he's not alone. His interaction with his family was awkward and clunky.

As for Crickette (horrible name), she was just a doormat. He kept pushing and pulling. She should have gotten a backbone sooner. The fact that he 'almost died' in a plane crash is the only thing that makes him realize he's in love with her? I would have been offended.

I still don't understand why he was shaking when he hugged her the night she was crying after her ex-husband was terrible to her. And why would she go to dinner with him after he said those nasty things to her. I would have laughed in his face when he said he loved her after saying she was bad and sex and he loved her like a sister. Doormat!

What in what Shane said to her made her identify with the idea that he thought he wasn't good enough for her? He had a nice family that she'd met and he was a successful billionaire. Why wouldn't he be enough? Makes no sense.

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JUST ONE NIGHT by Kyra Davis

Just One Night, Part 1: The Stranger by Kyra Davis
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

NetGalley free read...

First let me say that I love Kyra's Sophie Katz character. Those books are hilarious to me and I love reading them.

I understand Kasie's one night stand. I even understand her hesitance in causing her family pain, as it seems her sister did. What I don't understand in letting Dave dictate her life. It's no life living it with no passion and wonder. It may not turn out the way you think it should but I thoroughly believe in going for it. The fact that she and see even a little bit of the wonder of life, love and happiness with Robert Dade, should give her the courage to move forward with her own life.

The only smart thing Kasie seemed to have right was when she didn't want to jump out of a relationship with Dave and right into a relationship with Robert. Robert haven't eve indicated that what they would have would be more than the sex they were having, but the way she was growing should be enough for her to want to not have the boring existence she had before.

I didn't love this story. It seemed to familiar to the others of this genre. I recently read another NetGalley Read, entitled Three Stages of Lust and the book ended on a similar type of cliffhanger. Where the two have broken it off due to the woman, her tether to societal norms and expectations, only to have you wondering if the man will fight for her, she will somehow get the courage to be honest and tell him what's going on.

I'm not sure this is something that I like. I like s certain amount of the unknown and the need, but I hate the fact that each of these women lets outside factors influence what they chose to do. Their own happiness doesn't matter or they don't believe they deserve it. It just bugs me.

Just One Night, in and of itself was a very quick read. It lacked a full arch for me. i.e. Why does Dave want to get married all of a sudden? I mean six years is a long time to all of sudden decide he has to to get married. And what is he hiding that Kasie is just now picking up on? Also, why didn't she tell Robert what was going on instead of just walking away?

Just as Dave could tell his godfather what was going on and Kasie lose her career, she could also lose the account from walking out on Robert and still lose her career. There was just too much unanswered for me about her motivations, Robert's motivations, as I never got from reading this story that he even wanted more from her, and then there are Dave's motivations that i've mentioned earlier.

Just not enough in this story for me.

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COVERT SEDUCTION by Callie Croix

Covert Seduction by Callie Croix
My rating: 1 of 5 stars

NetGalley free read...

I know I say it all the time, but I really hate giving bad reviews. The problems are innumerable in this book. First we have Becca who knows she's involved with a Navy Seal in war time and is all freaked out because he hasn't contacted her for a couple of weeks. It's like women who marry doctors or cops and are ticked when they aren't home enough. I always think, Come On! you knew what they did for a living.

Second, Reid saves her from drowning, but doesn't ask her any questions about what she could possibly be involved with that could get her and her date run off the road? He's more interested in fulfilling her sexual fantasies?

Thirdly, Becca doesn't tell him anything knowing that there is a possibility that someone could be trying to killer her? Hes a Nave SEAL. What better person to try to get to help you stay alive.?

The first sex scene was so long. It was good, but I went to make food. That was so drawn out.

Not a good read at all.

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NOTHING TO LEASH

Lust Unleashed by Desiree Holt
My rating: 1 of 5 stars

NetGalley free read...

I hate giving bad reviews and this is my second one in a row. The most I can say is I liked the characters names, Jonah and Dakota. Great names! There was nothing wrong with the writing and the graphic sexual nature worked. The story just didn't interest me. The Chupacabra storyline was thin. So thin, that I can't even really say what it was that didn't work, it just didn't.

I don't know what to say, it just didn't grab me.

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COURTING TROUBLE by Maggie Marr

Courting Trouble by Maggie Marr
My rating: 1 of 5 stars

NetGalley free read...

There just wasn't much to this story. I could tell you where it was going from the first moment. Savannah was boring and one dimensional. She just seemed so angry. I understand her not wanting her daughter to be hurt by her father, but it felt like the character was more upset that he wasn't around early on in their relationship, therefore she didn't want him in her daughter's life.

As for Cade... If he loved Tulsa so much, he should have gone after her to find out why she left and not waited 20 years until she came back to ask her the question. Also, how blind could Cade be to his father's machinations. His father even treated his half brother Wayne poorly. To blindly believe his father, even though he was his father was dumb. Your parents are infallible.

Now Tulsa flip-flopped so much that I didn't know if she was coming or going. Ad for some wo was almost 40 years old and as successful as she was should have been better able to communicate who she was, what she wanted and what happened to her. She just never seemed clear on her feelings and after so many years, it should have been easy to say. Example is when her sister confronts her about looking into her mother's death. I mean, I don't care what discomfort I may have to go through and what other people think, there is no way I would want to let anyone get away with her death and I would want to know what happened. I just thought that Tulsa should have been able to explain that. I realize their mother wasn't June Cleaver, but still being left in a ditch or just dropped off at the hospital wasn't a cool way for her to be treated.

And for that matter, once Cade knew all that his father had done, he forgave so easily. I get that the man's days were numbered, but still. It was just too easy.

I didn't feel that the story as a whole had any high stakes. If a judge let the kid go to Alaska with her father, where his job wasn't stable, he wouldn't be around much to make sure she had rules and bouderies and just basically let her move to Alaska because she wanted to, and there was nothing that Savannah had done to cause her to lose custody would have been ridiculous.

I don't know, there was just so much detail that I didn't care about, it just wasn't the story for me.

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BONDS OF TRUST by Lynda Aicher

Bonds of Trust by Lynda Aicher
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

NetGalley free read...

It was okay, as I've indicated in the two star mark. I enjoyed the read to an extent, but there wasn't any big payoff. I knew where it was headed, I even figured that Cali's ex-husband was a submissive.

I didn't get enough history of Jake, Seth and Deklan to really get their connection or why Jake felt like he had to run. Even though Doug explained how and why his parents were killed, but it still wasn't enough emotionality to it.

I also thought it was strange that Kendra was so secretive and nothing that made me really want to know why in the story. I just kept thinking, leave her alone, I don't care why she keeps leaving so quickly.

There were a lot of misspellings and grammatical errors, which should be fixed by an editor before the book comes out. Like I said, enjoyable enough read, I just don't care enough to read the sequels.

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BzzAgent Campaign - COVERGIRL Blastflipstick

I had to give away the lighter colors since I'm African-American and the shades are just too light for me. But my friends benefited and loved it. I do like how creamy the lipstick feels going on and I like that you can flip the stick and use two colors to blend in a different shade, basically making two lipsticks a third choice out of one product. The Minx color was the best for me. I love being a BzzAgent and trying out new things.