SAFFRON NIGHTS by Liz Everly

Saffron Nights by Liz Everly
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

NetGalley free read

I really wanted to like this book and it started interestingly enough, but quickly went downhill about halfway through.

Maeve is basically a ghostwriter for chef's doing all the research and writing up the descriptive with Jackson as photographer. It seems they've worked on many projects before, but haven't had to be in the same room or space until now. They are about to do a cook books on aphrodisiacs, when the Chef partner of theirs is killed.

Firstly, I didn't like the constant change from Maeve's point of view to Jackson, to the third person perspective without any notice. One paragraph would be Maeve describing something and talking to the next being Jackson to the author. It was a bit dizzying.

I felt like the author missed opportunities to describe the locale and make it interesting or lush. I had no interest in ever visiting any of the locations and I've been to a couple of them. The author says the flew to Hawaii, but they were going to the "big" island. I was thinking that Honolulu is the big island. Where else could they have flown into direct from New York. That didn't make any sense to me, unless I was missing something.

The characters where picked up and dropped so abruptly, there was no way to get attached or really know what they meant to the story. One moment Maeve is deciding that she wants to no longer date her boyfriend, Mark, who lives in London to him being a hitman and killing people. There's not even a real reason for any of this. I mean why did he kill Chef Paul, Alice the agent and then himself? It was all so muddled by way of a storyline. Did he kill the Sasha? Who bombed the hotel room they were staying in and why?

The description of the intimate moments were kinda boring. They would kiss then all of a sudden someone was having an orgasm. Also, who lets a woman walk home alone in forigen country, especially in Morrocco where women are like second class citizens. I know that Jackson left Maeve with the other woman eating deserts, but either he shouldn't have left and waited for her or should have said something to her about making sure she wasn't out alone. And why was Maeve so drunk, when I believe the story states she only had a glass or two of wine? Did someone drug her, was it the aphrodisiac with the wine?

I mean, it's lucky I'm giving this 2 stars. I just liked the idea and I liked that Maeve was so independent that she had an open relationship and wasn't hung up on conventions and would have sex any way she thought would be good for her.

But even Jackson's character was a bit too soft. For someone who was a womanizing jerk for the most part, he sure became a sap easily and quickly.

Just didn't work for me, but something kept me reading it.

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G.I. JOE TARGET SNAKE EYES by Alex Cal

I really liked this comic. I love Snake Eye's. He's the best Joe. I also don't understand why Scarlett always believes the worst about him. She should know by now, he's alway on her side. I can't wait to see what happens next. Great coloring on the characters, the panes were clear and easy to view. Loved it.

HOPELESS by Colleen Hoover

Hopeless by Colleen Hoover
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Wow... that's really all I can say. I have to say that my initial instinct was that one of the things happened to Sky then I thought it was the other. Nothing could have prepared me for everything that would happen to both she and Holder. I found myself gasping and covering my mouth with several things were revealed.

And wouldn't life be wonderful if we could all have a Holder in our lives? True honesty to any question and response? I can't even imagine it. I loved SLAMMED and POINT OF RETREAT and was hesitant in reading this one. Only because I've read second offerings from other authors whom I've loved the first book(s) only to be disappointed by the second. This wasn't the case at all.

I laughed in a lot of places and was really heartbroken in others. I couldn't read it fast enough to know how it all was going to end. I kept trying to find spoilers and have to say that all the reviewers and bloggers were good about not giving anything away, which I'm trying to do the same here. I have a habit of talking about the characters like they are real people and questioning what they do. I don't want to do that here, because I want to encourage anyone who's thinking of reading this book to do so for themselves and to experience what the story has to offer.

I love how good Colleen is at making each character whole. I don't wonder who they are or why they are part of the story no matter how minor they are. She seems to weave them in to make the time we are with them worth their time in the story. I've read so many books where minor characters are mentioned, but I have no idea why the were discussed, shown or what they mean to the story. Even Six was clearly part of this story from beginning to end. You get her place in Sky's life and what she meant to it even though she was out of the country for most of the book and her interactions took place mostly in texts or conversations about her with other people. That's true talent of an author who makes the smallest character mean something to the entire story.

Again, Wow!

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IRRESISTIBLE KNIGHT by Tierney O'Malley

Irresistible Knight by Tierney O'Malley
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

NetGalley free read

I loved the names of the brothers being after the Knights in King Arthur's court. I felt like that was an original idea. I also liked that Bors' fathers was named Arthur.

The fact that Taylor's father was a Congressman and so corrupt was not realistic to me. Being corrupt wasn't the issue, but selling virgins and basically being in the slave trade wasn't. I just don't see how that's possible for someone to get away with something like that for so long and still work within the government. I mean he had goons working for him. Wouldn't anyone notice that his guards weren't stand up guys. And Taylor being nieve was one thing but so nieve to think that they could save her father's soul.

There were glaring issues for me like, one moment he was talking about her eyes being the color of a frappuccino, then her eyes are green. Or she came out of the bedroom in yoga pants but then she was in pajama bottoms. There were terrible grammatical errors which caused me to have to reread lines to figure out what the author was trying to say. That's just sloppy writing. I mean, other than reading the description of the book before reading it, I wouldn't have known Bors was an FBI agent until almost half way through the book. He's doing things like a cop or a P.I. would do. And when he goes to his boss' office, the description is so vague, who would know it was an FBI headquarters. It was just strange to me.

Maybe you had to have read the first book in the series, but it took me forever to figure out who Teta was. I'm still not exactly sure of her relationship to the Knight family. I mean was she a lifelong friend, was she somehow related to Julie, because in the book it says she's special to Julie, but that could mean anything. The writing was just all over the place. I think the story could have been more involved, more dangerous and maybe play more on the jealousy so they figure out their feelings, but fight them. Who knows. There were just a lot of missed opportunities to make a better story to me.

The only reason this book is getting two stars is because I thought that the bickering between the Knight siblings was hysterical. If the story had delved more into their relationship and how Taylor would fit in, maybe that would have been better I don't know. It was glossed over that he told his family that Julie thought he was a verman catcher. What a stupid name.

Anyway, there were funny parts. The romantic moments were good, but there was really no story. Maybe things were well researched. Just not good. Worth it for it being free and quick read.

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SAVAGE LUST by Gabriella Bradley

Savage Lust by Gabriella Bradley
My rating: 1 of 5 stars

NetGalley free read

OMG. This was just terrible. From the dialogue (who talks like that?) to the no heat interactions. The only thing that was surprising to me is that three brothers would share a wife. And its not the sharing part that's the problem. It's being in bed together with her. For some reason I get three men who aren't related, but three men who are related in the bed together is just strange in my head.

The author spent most of her time with Topaz's connection to both Chad and Johnny Jr. Sam was kind of an after thought in my opinion. I hated the fact that everyone who was staff called the main characters "Master" or "Mizzus." I mean, what year are we supposed to be in anyway. I get that it's Texas, but come on. This is the 21st century after all.

I really have nothing nice to say about this book. My mother always said if you don't have anything nice to say, then don't say it at all. I'm going to follow that motto on this one and stop commenting before I tear it to shreds.

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DOUBLE DANGER (A-Tac #6) by Dee Davis

Double Danger by Dee Davis
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

NetGalley free read

It was a welcome distraction from the things I have been reading. But, I would say that it was really just okay. I got really sick of both Simon and J.J.'s inner dialogue saying there could never be anything between them every time they thought about the feeling they had for one another. I happend every couple of pages until just past the middle of the book. Even after they'd had sex, J.J. was thinking that they had gotten that out of their systems and that they couldn't be together.

I also feel like everything about the Consortium and the A-Tac trying to figure out what was happening was slow and drawn out. it only got good in the last half of the book. One they and the Anthrax threat, everything got much better.

The only reason I'm giving this two stars which means it's okay is because I did like it, but only the last half was good and exciting to me. So it's really two and a half stars, but not enough for me to give it three.

I liked it, but not enough to try to read the rest of the series.

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A PERFECT PROPOSAL by Katie Fforde

A Perfect Proposal by Katie Fforde
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

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I thought it was very cute and sweet. It did take a bit of time to get up and going. Until Sophie goes to meet her Uncle Eric, the story is a bit boring. Yes, I get that her family treats her poorly, but still expect her to take care of them. Yes, I get she doesn't mind it so much. But it was almost too much and I almost gave up reading it for that reason alone.

Once Sophie is in New York and meets Matilda, I find the story adorable. Luke is a bit of jerk in the beginning, but only to the point that you understand he wants to protect his grandmother from someone who could be only after her generosity. But he doesn't push too hard. He's skeptical, but isn't an all out horrible person. He even tells her why he's concern.

My only issue is Sophie letting Ali get away with leading Luke to believe Sophie has a boyfriend. I get his reaction that he could believe she's like his ex-wife. But, I can't believe that Ali would let someone like her get away with it.

No mystery, no special effects. Just all around adorable book.

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Morning Star products rock. I can no longer eat beef, so this is a great alternative.

THE OFFICER BREAKS THE RULES by Jeanette Murray

The Officer Breaks The Rules by Jeanette Murray
My rating: 1 of 5 stars

NetGalley free read

I don't really know what to say. I don't like giving bad reviews, so the best thing I can say is it wasn't for me.

Too much back by Jeremy. I understand that he had issues with his upbringing, but He was Marine for 10 years, who had been in combat. It's not that difficult figure out that you don't want to keep being a Marine and that his father's influence was oppressive an stifling. If you love someone, there's always a way to work it out.

And Madison. Have a little self respect and don't run after a man who keeps saying no. I mean she pushed and pushed and pushed. I get that he really was in love with her, but I just wouldn't do that. You tell me know, I will find a guy who will tell me yes. It shouldn't have to be that much work. Because no matter what the ultimate result was, she went through heartache.

The writing was just okay. Nothing special. I wound't recommend this book and I wouldn't read any others in the seris.

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KEPT by Shawntelle Madison (sequel to Coveted)

Kept by Shawntelle Madison
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

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Yeah, this wasn't any better than the first COVETED. Actually this one was a more confusing. There were two different stories in this book. One where Natalya rescues her father from a past debt and protects her family honor. Then there was the story of Thorn and Nat figuring out what they were to each other. Of course Nat was willing to sacrifice everything for the good of the pack that didn't even want her, know matter what she did or accomplished. I was like they relished in her disfunction and failings.

I can't even say there were missed opportunities in this one. I did like the part with the faere girl, but that was it and it was too short. Even Aggie kinda dumped her when she started taking up with Thorn's younger brother,Will. Isn't that always the way when one friend gets into a relationship and othe other doesn't?

Again no real chemistry with Nick, which is why they were friends. It just didn't work at all for me. I hate giving bad reviews, which is why I'm giving it two stars. I don't want to say I hated it. I just wouldn't recommend it to anyone.

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COVETED by Shawntelle Madison

Coveted by Shawntelle Madison
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

NetGalley free read

Okay... How to start. I'm currently reading the sequel KEPT and hoping its much better than COVETED.

The first thing is I hate how much of a doormat Natalya is. I mean even when she does things that are smart, heroic or courageous, people treat her like crap and she accepts it. Even her family treats her badly and she goes along with it. I just can't wrap my head around that.

The second thing is that Thorn, comes back into town after five years with no contact during his absence and she's questioning whether they have a future together or not. OF COURSE NOT! If he hasn't contacted you in five years, plus knowing he's engaged in an arranged marriage, why is she questioning how he feels or what could be between the two of them? It just makes no sense to me. Especially because there never seems to be any ache on his side other than when he's climbing into bed with her. But that's not heartache or love to me. That's sex.

Then there's Nick. There seemed to be little to no chemistry in this relationship. I want her to torn between what she felt for Thorn and what she now is starting feel for Nick, who always seems to be there when she needs him the most.

Also, there's not enough of what's going on with her best friend, Aggie. I get that Nat has gone into her shell and hasn't connected with many people over the past five years. But Aggie just shows up and there's not delving into what's happened to either of them in the past five years until much later in the book. At which time Aggies says she was in an arranged marriage, didn't like the circumstances and just left. Did she get a divorce, is he looking for her, what's happening with that? Because most of Nat's family keeps trying to match her up and trying to marry her off and she doesn't seem to be discouraging them.

I don't know. I wanted to like it more than what was actually on the page. I kept waiting for something fun and spectacular to happen.

I didn't want to give it one star, cause I didn't hate it, but it could have been much better. I felt potential all over the story that just didn't happen.

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TRAPPED (Iron Druid Chronicles, #5) by Kevin Hearne

Trapped by Kevin Hearne
My rating: 1 of 5 stars

NetGalley free read

I don't know what to say. It was just a lot of explanations of the gods, deities, locations, what he was doing and why. I was just bored. Even the few fights that happened, were boring and weren't really explained clearly. The only fight I liked was in the sporting goods store. that seemed cool.

I don't get why these books do so well and I love fantasy. These characters just aren't for me. I hate giving bad reviews, I just can't say much good about this one. In order to not say anything back, I'm just not saying much.

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THE SPIDER Vol 1 by David Liss and Colton Worley

NetGalley free read

Richard Wentworth is a former Iraqi veteran, who gave up his life and future for his country because he didn't know if he would make it back alive. Now that he is home alive, he uses his skills and family wealth to keep his city clean.

When a toxic gas is released into the city, by a crazed woman calling herself Anput (named after an Egyptian Goddess), turning the city's residents into zombies, The Spider will do what it takes to bring Anput down even if that means bringing down his own father.

With his friend the police commissioner, Stanley Kirkpatrick, who thinks the knows that Richard is The Spider, looking the other way, Richard's friends Ram Singh and Professor Brownley help him take down Anput and develop and antidote to the poison, which has infected the love of his life and the commissioners wife, Nita.

Interesting. It was a little convoluted for me. At first I wasn't sure why Richard couldn't be with the woman he loved, only to realize he made the ultimate sacrifice of turning her away years earlier and harshly, because he wasn't sure he would come back from the war alive, or at all. But once he did, he tortures himself by still going to see her ever though she married to the commissioner and they are friends.

There is a Detective Hilt, who is suspects Richard is The Spider and will bring him down at any cost, even when Richard it saving people.

When Richard goes to the ball park and saves a dozen or so people, Hilt wants to arrest him. The character says he saved the illegally. I don't know how that's done. By not paying for a ticket to get into the area. What about what he did was illegal? That part makes no sense to me.

Richard also seems so bitter. I know being at war can't be easy, but many people come back from something like that and don't become vigilantes. I just don't understand his motivation. Join the police force. But actually killing people and marking them is a strange way to go.

Entertaining read, but I won't pick up another volume.

YOURS AT MIDNIGHT by Robin DBielman

Yours at Midnight by Robin Bielman
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

NetGalley free read

There were some ebook editing issues, where two different dialogues happened within same line or paragraph, but other than that I can say that I thought it was cute. I probably won't remember it after today.

My major criticism is that Lyric is really selfish by not telling even the grandparents (Quinn's parents) that she lives right next door to that they have a grandchild as well as the fact that Quinn doesn't even ask how old her child is, thereby never suspecting that the kid could be his. Yes, children between the ages of 2 and 3 don't look a whole lot different, but I would think he would have asked that question no matter what. If you are interested in a woman, you ask the age of her kid. I would ask if I met a guy and he told me he had kids. And he's standing right in front of the kid guessing his age, but never asks.

We don't really get invested in Lyric's family other than her mother and sister Ella, and not even that much with them, which caused me not to be really invested in any of her family other than Lyric, Quinn and Max.

Like I said, it's a cute story, but only for light mindless reading if for some reason there's nothing else you want to read. For me, there's always something else to read.

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IN SESSION by M.J. Rose

In Session by M.J. Rose
My rating: 1 of 5 stars

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This book is listed as Erotica. It's not even close. But, I have to say that I liked the characters of Colton Malone, John Rain and Jack Reacher enough to want to read some of the books by their authors and about these characters.

I think John Rain intrigued me the most. I saw the Jack Reacher film and know that Tom Cruise was physically wrong for the character. I fear if I read a Jack Reacher book, Tom Cruise will forever be in my head.

Interesting idea of having Morgan Snow meet all three characters under differing circumstances and quickly analyze them. But not enough to really get into each story. That's obviously a definition of a short story, but not for me.

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THE FETISH BOX, Part Two: What Escapes by Nicole Camden

The Fetish Box, Part Two: What Escapes by Nicole Camden
My rating: 1 of 5 stars

NetGalley free read for a fair and honest review...

Mary inherits a sex shop from a mother she never knew only to have her first sexual experience with they guy who lives above the shop and a flirtation with her new business partner, Max.

In Part 2, Mary continues to get to know the new people in her life, someone has broken into the Fetish Box and hurt Max, her new business partner and one of her employees, Kaylee. She also has finally opened the UPS document sent to her only to find out she and the shop are being sued for alienation of affection.

I little more sex ensues. Max leaves Mary asleep outside in the Florida sun, which is insane since she's so pale and they discuss that she doesn't really tan. Sun burn anyone?! Only for her to wake up with men breaking things inside the house.

Mary gets away, only to find Max just after a presumed sexual encounter with a stranger. Here comes the strangest conversation of all.

Mary: "Why did you leave?"

Max: "I meant to take a walk, but ended up at the hotel having a drink and I got a bit distracted."

Mary: "So you left me there to go bang some random chick?"

Max: "Yeah."

Mary: "But why? I would have slept with you."

I mean, come on. She's just escaped from a home invasion only to have this conversation on the beach seconds later? It makes no sense.

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THE FETISH BOX, Part One: Open All Night by Nicole Camden

The Fetish Box, Part One: Open All Night by Nicole Camden
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

NetGalley free read for a fair and honest review....

Mary inherits a sex shop from a mother she never knew only to have her first sexual experience with they guy who lives above the shop and a flirtation with her new business partner.

As Mary is getting to know everyone in her new life, things take a sinister turn.

There isn't much to the story to tell me much about the other characters. We are basically set up with Mary's life and how she inherited the shop. Max is a typical bar owner, who happens to be sexy and sleeps with anything with boobs. Even having sex with his barmaid in the back of the pub. I wouldn't eat or drink anything there.

John is a war vet, who hasn't been involved with a woman in a long time, but seems to want to stake his claim on Mary before Max can do it.

For someone with little to no sexual experience, Mary let's Max "suck on her tit" minutes after they've met. I don't care how sexually experienced you are or aren't, who does that?

I can't say much else because they book is so short. The second book give me very little to go on as well.

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BEYOND SHAME by Kit Rocha

Beyond Shame by Kit Rocha
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

NetGalley free read...

The only thing that is keeping me from just giving it two stars (saying it's just 'Okay') is the fact that the writing about the sex acts is HOT! But, there is almost NO story whatsoever. There are elements, but I would have liked to have known more of the politics, the fighting between sectors the seeping of something sinister into their lives, into their relationships. Maybe someone who loves Jas and wants to put a wedge between he and Noelle or vice versa. The story just needs more.

Also, I find that the writer is so intent on some of the multiple sex partners that she misses some of the explanations of what they are really doing. I would get confused as to whether someone was on their back their front, etc. I would have to reread to figure out exactly what they were doing and sometimes still wasn't sure. Maybe things could have been simpler if they weren't going to be explained better. But that being said, they were hot and varied. I find in books like this, sometimes an author is so tied up in on of their exciting sex scenes the rest lay flat (pun intended). that isn't the case here. They were all pretty interesting.

I would hope that this is a set up book and that the subsequent sequels would be more involved with what's happening outside of the sex acts of the characters. Is someone going to try to kill Noelle again, is her father going to try to kill Jas or take down Dallas? What is the issue with Dallas and Lex, why are the both so against being together officially, and why won't Lex actually have intercourse with Dallas?

Too many questions.

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THE RELUCTANT WIFE by Bronwen Evans

The Reluctant Wife by Bronwen Evans
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

NetGalley free read...

It wasn't terrible, but it wasn't good. I can say I didn't hate reading it. But it felt incomplete in a way, a bit jumbled. Example is when Abby first goes to the Villa in order to ask Dante for the money for her grandmother. She internally says she will guard her heart against him. Of course before she even sees him she starts to waver. She's immediately jealous when she finally does see him only to have him wrapped around a woman, who turns out to be his best friend and a lesbian. But I digress.

Soon after this initial meeting and Dantes negotiation attempts, she goes from, "I can do this for my grandmother," to "I can make him love me." Where's the hardship? How can she be so blind that a man who would pick her out of all the women he could have, because as she says, he commands attention just walking down the street, that he doesn't care for her.

I don't get the back and forth. First she says he has to giver her time, then less than a day later, she's sleeping with him. Then he's trying to give her space but this is when she's all in love again. I just couldn't keep up with their inner workings.

The author also seems to jump around without explanation. It's not terrible, there's just no break in the book like a line or something to show that we are on to a new topic. Example is where they talk about going on a honeymoon, the next line they are there. There are other times this happens.

I also wasn't happy with Dante's response to Abby's medical issues. I knew right away from reading the description of the book that she would have issue conceiving. I think it should be more of a surprise. But that being said, he conned her into staying married to him without knowing his medical history and that he could potentially get sick and die at an early age. The fact that Abby wanted to wait until after her procedure should have been taken into consideration. But I guess being an Alpha, macho, Italian man precluded him from having a conscience. It was okay for him to keep secrets and not her. And to be that young and hear that news has to be devastating. But he couldn't think about that until it was too late.

Not terrible, just not for me.

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