LEAVE ME BREATHLESS by Cherrie Lynn

Leave Me Breathless by Cherrie Lynn
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was my favorite of the series, which is funny since Ghost aka Seth isn't a Ross Sibling.

I understand both of their issues which keep them from committing to trying are valid. Seth was in love with a girl from a wealthy family who left him and as you read, is still in his life in a devastating way. He lost his parents at the age of six, his Nana, who raised him has dementia and then suffers a stroke, and he comes face to face with a brother who betrayed in a life altering way.

Macy had an accident while barrel racing her horse ten years back, which ended her career and almost ended her life. Now, she's an extremely cautious person, weighing the odds of all her life decisions. She was the voice of caution for Candace with Brian in Rock Me, and can't understand her attraction to Seth. She knows that he's sexy and causes a reaction in her that she hasn't ever felt for another guy, but she know (or think she knows) that it could never go anywhere beyond sex.

But as they start to spend more time together, neither are able to keep it at just sex. She feels alive when she's with him. He feels like anything is possible and that maybe his past experience with Brooke, won't happen again. At least, he's willing to take the chance. But Seth has an ex, Raina, who won't let him go. She tries to remind him that she's the type of girl for him. That his relationship with Macy will only lead him to heart ache. And when Macy's ex, Jared, comes back into her life, its seems that Raina's prediction is right.

Macy keeps telling Jared she's not interesting, but sometimes when you are with someone that others think isn't good enough for you, it encourages them to keep going. He just feels he's better for her than Seth. She knocks him down at every turn, but he just won't stop. To the point that when she blows him off to spend some time with Seth, who's away visiting his Nana after her stroke, she tells him about Jared's pursuits. Seth doesn't take it so well and his grandmother passes while he's with Macy and fighting.

When Macy decides, with the help and encouragement from Brian and Candace, to go see him at his concert, she walks in on him with Raina and it looks like they've been having sex. She won't believe him that nothing happend and is hurt beyond belief. They decide to stay away from each other to give each other space. But while Macy gets her legs, so to speak, encouraged by her father to try racing again, she realizes she's been too cautious in the things in her life. Although she took small steps in her own way, its time to get back to the fearless girl who she always was.

I love it when she confronts Raina and when she tells Seth her feelings for him.

I am giving this book this rating because I really enjoyed Seth and Macy's story. I found what happens with them very realistic and relatable. From the outside sources that threaten their relationship to the preconceived notions they have about each other and themselves. I get that they've both had things that have happened that keep them from fulling committing to a relationship they don't think will last because of who they inherently are. But when they say opposites attract, that's exactly what happens here. And they find that they aren't so different at all.

But there are spelling errors and editing issues that kinda bugged me, like spelling 'feel' as 'fill'. But I get it as I'm not perfect either. I still just loved the story.

View all my reviews

ROCK ME by Cherrie Lynn

Rock Me by Cherrie Lynn
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I liked this book much more than Unleashed , the first in the Ross Siblings series. I think I connected with the characters much more. Candace was so sheltered by her family. I still don't really understand why. Her brother went to the public school in their community, yet Candace was home schooled. It's almost as if she was Rapunzel in an ivory tower. There was no real reason why her parents were so controlling of her actions. She even states that although she and her mother were never the closest, that her mother changed towards her when she was in high school (although the author says she was home schooled and it was hard to convince them to let her go to college).

Brian grew up in the same affluent community, but as mentioned in the previous book in the series, something changed with him when he was fourteen and Evan left for collage. He went a little wild and it wasn't until recently that he'd gotten himself together. He now has his own tattoo business and that's where Candace, who is Brian's old girlfriend Michelle's cousin. She goes for her birthday. Candace is ready to break out of her shell a bit. Plus she wants to see Brian, whom she's been in love with since Michelle introduced them, almost two years ago.

One of Candace's friends, Samantha, is all for the relationship, while the other, Macy, isn't. Not that she doesn't want Candace to be alone. She doesn't think she should rock the boat with her parents. And rock the boat is exactly what she does.

The moment she tells her mother that she cares for Brian, the entire family goes on the defensive. Strangely, they don't take her feelings into account on anything to do with her life. I almost felt like she gave them too much consideration. To the point she was willing to walk away from Brian in order to keep the peace with them. Especially after Brian punches her brother for calling her a whore, which was completely uncalled for, and her brother vandalizes Brian's shop.

Brian grows up a lot. Knowing what he wants and being in love with Candace is something that opens him up to the idea of fitting into a family, his and or her's even a little bit. He will do anything for her even give her the space she needs to figure out if she wants the relationship to progress. He's even willing to let her walk away if she thinks its best for her, which as he says goes completely against his nature.

I love that Brian was Candace's first sexual experience and that he took such care with her. He didn't think he was good enough to deserve being her first, but soon they both can't take it anymore and he feels like she's given him the gift of life. I though it was so sweet.

I would say this is more like a 3.5 rating and the only reason I didn't give it 4 stars is because I don't really understand the motivation behind her family's treatment of her. It would be one thing if they loved her too much. But when she tells them that one of the guys her mother would approve of, almost raped her, they don't believer her. Her brother even says the guy wast "just drunk" and they were in a room full of people. Not taking into consideration that the guy having his hands on her at all when she didn't want him to, was a violation in itself. And her mother just poo poo's it off. I just don't know what they wanted from her and why they were so controlling of her actions.

Anyway, I liked this one much more as I previously stated and am looking forward to Ghost and Macy's story next.

Yay!

View all my reviews

UNLEASED by Cherrie Lynn

Unleashed by Cherrie Lynn
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I really liked the back story of Evan and Kelsey. It's said that women mature much faster than men, therefore I can understand how hard it was for Evan as a young man graduating from college and about to go to Law School. I get that he didn't want to get so caught up in a woman that he could fall short of his goals. And it really wasn't that he didn't want to, but he was scared that it would happen.

I also understand Kelsey's feelings. After loving her friend all through college, to watch him with other girls, she had to get herself together and move on. She just unfortunately moved on to her dick of a husband. Although part of her heart was always with Evan, I believe she gave it her all to make it work with Todd.

But, I sure understood Evan thinking she still loved Todd when she wanted to leave their magical week in Hawaii to check on Todd after his accident. Although, I do believe he should have spoken to her about it. But, Kelsey really needed her time to understand what she wanted and needed.

I love how the receptionist/secretary at Evan's office was all gossipy about his trip, only to see he and Kelsey walk out holding hands. She had been in the friend zone for so long, it was a shock.

Sweet story, but kinda short for me. Just felt like there were things and emotions missing. But, I'm looking forward to reading the rest of the series, which I have.

View all my reviews

BARELY LEASHED by Cherrie Lynn

Barely Leashed by Cherrie Lynn
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Not really enough there to review, but intriguing intro to Unleashed .

View all my reviews

FERAL SINS by Suzanne Wright

Feral Sins by Suzanne Wright
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Taryn is in a situation she wants out of and Trey has a problem she can help him with. He proposes that they pretend to be mated in order to solve their problems. Taryn doesn't really have any other choice, so she agrees. But they both end up with more than they bargained for when their mating turns out to be real.

I absolutely loved Taryn and her sarcastic banter with Greta, Trey's grandmother. Both Trey and Taryn have lost their mothers and had abusive fathers, so when they come together under a bargain to keep Taryn from going into an arranged mating with Roscoe and Trey's Uncle Darryl from taking over the Phoenix Pack, neither of them recognizes they are "True Mates." Their walls are up so high to keep from getting hurt. But, their inner wolves won't let them be apart and they soon realize they are strongest together.

Although Trey has issues with certain feelings, I wouldn't necessarily call him psycho like Taryn does all the time. I know the rumors about him, but calling hin psycho boy all the time is strange to me. I love how strong she was as an Alpha even though her shifting ability is latent. But the author has her fighting off some pretty serious situations. Why couldn't she fight off Roscoe when he attempted to force the claiming on her by biting her.

I love how Trey is so sweet to Taryn, even though he isn't sure why. Once she enters his world, there is no other woman for him. He doesn't even look at them. I love all his displays of protection and dominance when it comes to Taryn. He will only let someone get so far in badmouthing her, then he takes matters into his own hands, literally. He also knows when and enjoys how she can take care of herself.

There were some definitely funny moments that I found myself laughing out loud. I would definitely consider reading the sequel.

View all my reviews

EMPTY NET by Toni Aleo

Empty Net by Toni Aleo
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

NetGalley free read

I have to say there were a lot of gramatical and spelling errors, but that aside, I'm loving each book in this series more and more.

Audrey and Tate meet up at the bar where Fallon is having her bachelorette party and end up having a one-night-stand without knowing who each other are. At Fallon and Lucas's wedding, they discover that Tate is Lucas' best friend and new Goalie on The Assassin's Hockey team and Audrey is Fallon's sister, as well as they have been living next door to each other for over a month, yet never seeing each other. I can understand how that happens with the horrible schedule these hockey players seem to have.

I know it happens, but I just can't get past the fact that Audrey would let Levi treat her an talk to her the way he does. She seems so desperate for love. Taking all his crap because she believed, deep down, that she didn't deserve a good man because she couldn't give him a child. She had some scaring and issues with her tubes due to an abortion she had when she was seventeen.

Tate is adorable and knows that he wants Audrey no matter how badly she thinks about herself, and even though she's almost seven years older. The fact that they heal each other, from Tate losing his family to a crash and Audrey not being able to have a baby and feeling she's not worth a good man, is so sweet. You can read their growth in every word in as the pages progress.

I felt at the end of TRYING TO SCORE that Levi was going to be trouble in Lucas' life. I wondered if he was afraid of Fallon coming into Lucas' life and find out that that he was taking advantage of Lucas. I felt it odd that he was upset that Fallon wanted to help Lucas learn to read. And I was right when it turns out that Levi is seating from Lucas. I also didn't understand why they would allow him to be at their wedding. Even if Audrey was still dating him, he shouldn't have been there and the way he was treating Audrey, Lucas should have fired him when he was kicked out of the house in the last book. The fact that Levi was allowed to get to Audrey and hurt he so badly, I was shocked and clutching my mouth as he was hurting her. I was so invested in the characters and what was happening to them.

After Audrey is hurt, her father reverts back to his horrible ways. I don't understand how that man can be so cruel to his children. Audrey is almost thirty years old, obviously in a loving relationship, which her father should want for her. But what does he do? He makes Tate more upset by telling him he could have him removed from her hospital room. I was thinking Tate should marry her while she's in the hospital so her father could have nothing to say about anything.

I loved this one, it wasn't perfect, with all the errors, which is the only reason I didn't give it five stars. But I'm becoming a big fan of Ms. Aleo's storytelling. Sometimes the women are ridiculous and can't get out of their own way. And the men seem to put up with an unusual amount of crap and keep trying beyond what could be considered normal. But we can all dream that it's possible and I love that about these books.

View all my reviews

FORBIDDEN FIRES (Bondage & Breakfast #3) by Jodie Griffen

Forbidden Fires by Jodie Griffin
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

NetGalley free read

I liked this one much more than Book #2 in this series. Although the confusion that the characters face is more realistic, I did find them very unprofessional in the face of a serial arsonist. That being said, their interactions were HOT! I would like to know more about Master Gabriel's story. Maybe the author will write something about him. He needs a mate, I think.

The gist of the story is that Delia, a Detective, and Colin, a Fire Marshall, worked together a year ago, which resulted in them having a two month relationship that ended badly. Now they are working together and both of them don't really know why they ended and are still drawn to each other. It seems when they ended it was while they were on the job. Colin's focus was split and he ended up breaking his arm in an explosion.

Now, the author doesn't make it clear, not to me anyway, who broke up with whom and really why this relationship was so volatile. Yes, Colin can be a bit of an overbearing bear, and Delia has a hot red-headed temper. But it still dosen't explain why they ended, when these traits seem to be the thing that attracts them to each other. Delia is a born submissive, which brings out Colin's caveman dominate side. As Master Gabriel says to Colin, "if you don't marry her, you're a fucking idiot. And you won't get a second chance, because I know at least ten Doms who'd love to give her what she needs and keep her so busy she won't have tom to think about you."

I also didn't understand how Delia could spend an entire day working on the connections between the fires and no one check the financials or credit cards of the people who were the victims. It should have led them to Bondage & Breakfast so much faster as well as the fact that a couple of them were investors in the BDSM club that was torched. They also go to the arson sites and it seems that Delia never looked at the pictures. Because it's not until she's there that she notices some of the things that lead her to believe that the victims are in the life. The guy who was committing the crimes seemed to be able to put the pieces together better than the Police or the Fire Marshalls, who had better resources.

But, I liked the idea of the story. I liked the push pull of the relationship, although as previously mentioned, I'm not sure why there was a push pull. But, better than the first book I read in the series.

View all my reviews

TRYING TO SCORE by Toni Aleo

Trying to Score by Toni Aleo
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

NetGalley free read

Hockey star Lucas fell in love with Fallon the moment he saw her. They spent two years together until Fallon walked in on him with her best friend. Seven years later, Luc is in Nashville as a new member of the Assassins. Not only is he there to make changes in his life to continue his sobriety, but he's there looking for Fallon. It's time, now that he's in a better place, to make amends and try to get her back. Little does he know that when he they broke up seven years ago, Fallon was pregnant and now is raising her six year old little boy Aiden James with her sister Audrey. Once people see Lucas and realized that he and Fallon knew each other years ago, they immediately connect and understand that he is Aiden's father. Once he finds out, he's upset, but doesn't blame Fallon, continuing to try to get her back. There are several hurdles, but in the end they work it out.

I really liked this, and liked that Shea and Elli were back in a big way in this story. But, I have to say that Fallon was a horrible person. The fact that she was so selfish was beyond my comprehension. Yes, he cheated and may not have been a good father, but he had every right to know. Once she made that mistake it was done, but not to let him know once he was in Nashville and telling he'd changed, she should have scheduled a time to talk to him. She was so focused on her own feelings for the man and for what she thought he'd done seven years before, that she couldn't get out of her own way to think what was best for her son. I loved Molly, Lucas's mother's smackdown response to Fallon keeping Aiden a secret from all of them.

Although I though that Fallon and Audrey's father was a horrible person. Who tells their own child that they "disgust" them? That's a horrible thing to say to someone you are supposed to love. Especially when what they've done isn't that bad. She had a child out of wedlock, and yes she kept it from the father, but as her father, he should have had a little more compassion than that. Her mother should have stood up for her. She was a hard working young woman, basically raising her kid on her own, and doing a great job as the win company's head of PR. What's so disgusting about her? Yes, her sister says the same thing later, but it was done in a different context, after a fight and to shock Fallon into understanding that she was making some big selfish mistakes.

I wanted more drama with Levi. I also wasn't sure how Lucas could have been friends and not know that he was a physically abusive jerk to women. I read so much into what was happening in his story. That maybe he was skimming off of Lucas, which was one of the reason he didn't like Luc spending money on Fallon. Also why he wanted to double check that Aiden was Lucas' son. I thought that, of course, he didn't want things to change with he and Lucas, but he also thought that having Fallon and a kid in the mix, would push him into the background. But we just didn't see enough of him and especially his relationship with Audrey. I just don't understand why she was so in love with the horrible man.

Aiden was the cutest thing and said some of the funniest things. I loved his immediate connection to Lucas and how he was craving a man in his life. He wanted to do everything like his father and didn't want to be away from him. I loved how Lucas fell in love with his son right away and would do anything for him.

I would definitely recommend this series. Wouldn't we all like a guy who would fight through all our crap just to get into our hearts? I know I would. I can't wait to read Audrey and Tate's story.

View all my reviews

THE COINCIDENCE OF CALLIE AND KAYDEN by Jessica Sorensen

The Coincidence of Callie and Kayden by Jessica Sorensen
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I actually purchased and read this book a while ago and have yet to be able to get it out of my mind.

In the Prologue, at her mother's insistance, Callie has to go into a house party to get her brother. To avoid as many people as possible, who think of her as a freak, she walks around the perimeter of the home only to witness the town jock and quarterback being intimidated and then beaten by his coach father. In a split second decision, Callie interrupts the beating telling Kayden's father that someone is looking for him.

Kayden at first doesn't recognize the girl all in black with hair in her face. But after she helps him up and helps him clean himself up, he remembers her. But she takes off.

The next time Callie and Kayden literally run into each other is the first week of fall semester for Kayden. Callie's been there for the summer and has a new best friend, Seth. Kayden has a football scholarship and his best friend Luke has joined him.

During the summer session, Callie and Seth have told each other about their lives back home. They've bonded over some of the damaging things that have made them who they are. But there are still something Callie can't talk about. She's come out of her shell a lot and is almost unrecognizable to Kayden.

Callie, Kayden, Seth and Luke start spending a lot of time together. Callie and Kayden become really good and unlikely friends. Kayden knows something happened to Callie, but isn't exactly sure what, so he does everything he can to go slow with her. He really wants her to go home with him for the Christmas break. Callie hadn't planned on going home, but decides at the last minute to go.

But when they are home, Kayden views Callie's reaction to her bother's childhood best friend who shows up at the last minute to stay with the family and he knows what happend to her. He can't control his anger and later that evening attacks Caleb.

When Kayden is arrested, his father picks him up. They get into a fight, which turns deadly because Kayden doesn't back down anymore. His father fatally stabs him and leave him for dead. Luke picks Callie up the nex morning as she's been waiting for him to come back. they find him on the kitchen floor of his house in a pool of his own blood.

While I understand Callie's need to keep what happened to her secret, because she was a kid and never knew how to handle it. I can't excuse her parents for not understanding that the major change their child went through was the result of something major that happened to her. It angers me that they were so selfish and self involved that they didn't delve further into her change in behavior.

It also infuriates me that Kayden's brother's knowingly left him to his father's devices. I get that they were abused and wanted to get out as quickly as they possibly could, but where their abuse was spread amongst them, they left him there alone and should have known what would happen to him. The fact that no one came back to help him get out of there is the worst thing ever.

I love their love story. I love how they come together in the flowering of their independence for the place and people who caused their hurt and pain. It's a beautiful story and I have told everyone I know to read it.

I'm waiting with baited breath for the next installment. When the second book publishing date got pushed, it hurt my heart.

View all my reviews

THE UGLY GIRLFRIEND by Latrivia S. Nelson

The Ugly Girlfriend by Latrivia S. Nelson
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

It was a quick read, but sweet in its way. I can identify with LaToya in a lot of ways. Having been small all my life, I'm am now overweight due to menopause and aging. And I can see how putting up walls with people can protect you from getting hurt. Basically rejecting them before they can reject you.

Angela was the worst kinds of friends. Basically telling LaToya that Mitch, a white man, is only experimenting with her and that eventually she will be alone again when he has enough and leaves her. She's not in her relationship. She's not even asked how their relationship is. She just assumes that because LaToya isn't think and light skinned, no one could possibly be interested in her. I've been there. I've had the same thing happen to me about my skin color.

I didn't like that because LaToya was a size 14 and dark skinned she was considered "ugly," or that her friends would ever let anyone refer to her as such. It's just saddening. But I know things like that do happen.

I think that Mitch was interested in LaToya to begin with, but the fact that she was able to bring his son out of his shell and that he liked her, made her that much more attractive to him. Children can smell bologna from a mile away and the fact that she brings him around quickly was amazing.

I liked this story. It was too short. I would have liked more in the story, but it worked for what it was.

View all my reviews

LOVE LETTERS VOL. 1: OBEYING DESIRE

Love Letters Volume 1: Obeying Desire by Ginny Glass
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

NetGalley free read.

This is completely my fault and I need to stop asking for anthologies of short stories. This is just not my thing. I've yet to find one that I've overly responded to. Now this one wasn't as bad as any I've read in the past. But I need a real narrative, with a beginning a middle and an end. And when I say end, I mean a resolution.

The first two stories, A Is for Assignment and B Is for Bondage were good, but then I got bored reading the rest. I can't say I wouldn't recommend this, but I don't know how long I will remember anything in it to do so.

Again, not the fault of the authors, just not my thing.

View all my reviews

OVER THE EDGE by Suzanne Carroll

Over the Edge by Suzanne Carroll
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

NetGalley free read

Zoe is engaged to Dan, the momma's boy. It's six weeks from their wedding when she realizes what her life will be like if she goes through with it, so she decides to break it off. At the same time, CEO of her company and reported international play boy, Angus Creed. Angus has had a very public break from his fiance a couple years ago and has spent his time focused on his companies.

Zoe has had a tough time over the past six or seven years. Her parents were in an accident, where her father died and mother was paralyzed. She left school to care for her mother. When she went back to her own life, she met Dan and started working at Creed. She doesn't go in for gossip, now pays attention to pop culture. So when Zoe decides to take a weekend away for herself and ends up in the same place as Angus, she doesn't recognize him until he introduces himself. Zoe had gotten locked out of her cabin, leaves a note for the neighboring cabin, which turns out to be occupied by Angus. When he interrupts her attempt to get into the cabin through the window, he surprises her and she knocks herself out after drinking too much wine while waiting for help.

Once Zoe wakes up, they talk for a while, getting to know each other. She blurts out that she works for him, which causes his demeanor to change with her. They run into each other a couple of times in the office. But when pretty much attacks Zoe outside of the Creed offices, Angus is having none of it and intercedes.

Zoe and Angus slowly become friends. She decides to live for today and starts trying out different adventures, getting a tattoo, scheduling a trip to Katmandu Valley, sailing, etc. She also helps him practice the waltz he's supposed to learn to lead off the dancing at a charity event. He starts to fall for her, but she believes they are just friends and it's too early for her to jump right into another relationship.

Angus decides he can't be around her anymore because he cares too much and know she's not ready. But while in Katmandu, she realizes she loves Angus, jumps on a plane, creates a distraction and gets into the ball. When Angus is dancing he spots her. Once they are in front of each other, she tells him she loves him. He does the same and dances with her in her clothing from her hike.

When Dan starts calling Zoe names and yelling at her after she breaks up with him, it's telling how things will be if she had married him and come out of her shell to be her own person after they married. I got a little flutter when Angus stops Dan from going to far and getting physical with Zoe. I love how she gets her backbone back and tells his mother off in a way that will get her off her back.

Their connection and growing feelings are sweet. I like how he treats her and how he has to get over his own insecurities of possibly being used by a woman and employee to begin spending time with Zoe an then falling for her.

I get why Zoe is apprehensive of jumping right into a new relationship after her time taking care of her mother and then being emotionally under the thumb of Dan and his family. But when she realizes she wants to be with Angus, she does everything she can to get to him.

There were several laugh out loud moments as well. It was a quick read and just sweet.



View all my reviews

HUNTER by Jacquelyn Frank

Hunter by Jacquelyn Frank
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

NetGalley free read

There was something I like about this book that I can't put my finger on. It was a basic story, but well told and with some funny and exciting moments.

Tatyana Petrova is a young woman living and working in New York. The youngest of thirteen children, where her brother Dimietre is number seven when she decides on New Years Eve to go see her brother, who has been living in the Catskills for the last two months and a little more distant than he's been in the past. They've always been close and now he's barely communicating with her, and when he does, only by phone.

Tatyana's car breaks down, which requires her to walk to the estate, literally falling into the arms of Hunter Finn, Sentinel to the Willow Clan of witches. Hunter has just returned himself after a self imposed exile of almost eleven years. He's called back by the High Priest of the clan, Ryce Champion. Rice and everyone in the Willow Clan are White Witches. Ryce has called Hunter back because they are being attacked by a coven of Warlocks, which it turns out are headed by Hunter's brother Braen, High Cleric of the Belladonna Coven. Hunter comes from a long line or dark witches, but was never really took to the ways and was turned to the ways of the White witch at the age of ten due to his friendship with Ryce.

Hunter is immediately attracted to Tatyana. When the coven is attacked, just after her arrival, Hunter takes it upon himself to bind her to him. He realizes in mear moments that she's a dormant witch. He explains to her later that if she went unclaimed she would fall subject to a dark witch taking her against her will as a familiar. Dark witches tend to use their familiar in terrible ways, most notably as sex slaves, which is really rape, since they don't know what they are doing. They are also subject to being beaten. This happened to Annali Templeton when over eleven years ago, at which time she was rescued by Hunter and Ryce, and is now the lover and teacher to Tatyana's brother Dimitre.

Early on after their blood exchange, their impulse controls are lessened and they can't seem to keep their hands off of each other. At the same time Tatyiana's abilities are manifesting and growing. It turns out she's a Mentalist, which is one of the most powerful type of witch. She starts doing spells without even trying.

After Braen get's into the estate using Asher's body and tries to attack Tatyana, her abilities grow exponentially. She knows that Asher's body was being used by Braen, she knows people's emotions and can hear their thoughts. She also can make people see her as anyone she wants them to.

The Willow Coven uses Tatyana's ability to get into Braen's home and take him out, which she does because Hunter is unable to kill his brother. Annali can't go because she's pregnant, which she didn't know.

After they take out Baen, Tatyana helps Hunter heal from his past and they tell each other they love one another.

Like I said, it's was interesting. I just felt like it was just fell short of being amazing. I didn't like that there were changes from one moment to another or character location without any notice. Therefore, there were times when the story would jump to something else and it would take me a moment to figure out I was reading about a different person, location etc.

I liked the connection between Hunter and Tatyana. I didn't like how she reported in to her other siblings early in the story then they were completely forgotten, along with her job and apartment. As far as I can tell she never even called anyone to let them know she wouldn't be available for a while. She's just as guilty of dropping off the grid as Dimitre.

I like how Ryce and Hunter are there as big brothers to Annali. She's funny and spirited. Gracelynn barely had a story or anything to do with anything. Maybe if there's a sequel, something can happen for this character. Otherwise, she just a nothing to the story.

I thought the descriptions of the fighting was cool. I liked that a lot. I've read books before when the characters are supposed to be warriors and they never fight throughout the entire book. That didn't happen here. There was plenty of fighting and witchcraft.

View all my reviews

CODE RED by Amy Noelle

Code Red by Amy Noelle
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

NetGalley free read

While in college, Nicole finds out her dream guy is not only dating her, but several other girls. Years later and still friends with the girls who saw her through her heartbreak and devastation, which includes another girl her boyfriend was dating, three of her friends have gotten married to the men they used the Code Red (men who are too good looking to the point the girls could lose their hearts to) they instituted after the heartbreak. 6 years later Nicole is dating down, geeks and nerds, men she would fall for and who she could get off on and kick out of her bed. The idea is that they would be so grateful that she showed them interest that they wouldn't be surprised when she kicks them out of her bed or leaves them in theirs. When the new guy from the New York office shows up to be achingly handsome, Nicole calls her girls with a Code Red. But they don't react the way she thinks they should. They encourage her to get to know him and try a real relationship.

Other than her old roommate, Jen, who was taken advantage of by a guy who moved in and stole everything in her home, all the other girls are in loving and happy marriages. Nicole feels like things have changes with the other girls and doesn't understand the need to change the way her life is.

When she's assigned to work with Josh, she tries to resist his charms, but it isn't easy when he shows up where she and Jen are to pick up men. He has the ability to sneak up on her, which allows him to overhear and/or read what she's emailing to her friends. Josh's friend Ryan falls for Jen and they start dating, but Josh tells Nicole he will take it at her pace if she will only give him a chance.

After a small fight where he accidentally makes a date for her with the insurance agent who's office is across the hall, Nicole realizes she wants to try things with Josh. The relationship goes so well that he eventually moves in with her. But when Nicole finds out that the work they've been doing together has garnered Josh a promotion, she believes they are over. She goes on a drunken binge until Josh tells her that he's moving to Chicago to be with her.

This was a cute story, but some of the elements were just too simple and too pat. Also, I get Nicoles reluctance to put herself out there, because no one wants to be hurt. But she sure does jump to a lot of conclusions. At first, he couldn't like her and has to have a wife and kids somewhere, because no one that good looking and nice could be single. Also, she just believes that because he's getting a promotion, he will dump her. She never listened to anything he said. All her friends try to tell her she's in love with him and she just brushes it off because there's no way.

I also didn't like the fact that dating nerds and geeks was considered dating below her. I thought that was nice at all. The story was well written, just a little too simple. I mean Josh put up with all her crazy and barely ever rocked the boat. The only thing he put his foot down on, was not sleeping with her until she 'let him in,' which for him was when she invited him to her house to watch Supernatural.

I don't know, it just didn't rock my boat. Quick and simple read.

View all my reviews

LUSH by Lauren Dane

Lush by Lauren Dane
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

NetGalley free read

I think because I haven't read any of the Brown Siblings series or the first in the Delicious series, I missed a few things. I didn't understand the connection with a lot of the characters. They were just names that didn't seem to have any life to them for me. I didn't know their connections Mary, Damien or each other.

I got Mary's apprehension with getting involved with a famous rock star who seemed to be a manwhore, as his brother called him. But the moment he met Mary he changed and only wanted to be with her. Their courtship was sweet and I appreciated her friends trying to protect her, even if they did it in kind of a demeaning way.

I mean Jules saying he wasn't her kind of people and making it look like she was stupid for getting involved with this guy. I think Mary was doing a great job of keeping their relationship in perspective until Damien decided he wanted a real relationship and told Mary he would go at her pace until she could feel comfortable with it.

I didn't read the book with Gillian and Adrian, but the reporter who tried to break them up does the same to Mary and Damien. He doesn't have much of a presence other than a couple of mentions, the email and a couple of calls. I just felt there should have been more to it, so we as a reader could understand why he does that. It really makes no sense. Other than maybe getting a hysterical response on the phone after calling, what does he get from it? Just seems like there could have been something craftier that could threaten their relations ship. I thought that Mary should have considered the source before going off half cocked. But the author needed the dramatic ending.

Although I love a good sex scene as much as anyone else, I felt that the story was minor and just there to surround their sexual experiences in the book. Just wasn't foe me.

View all my reviews

STAR CROSSED by Kele Moon

Star Crossed by Kele Moon
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

NetGalley free read

I liked this book better than the first in the series. Romeo Wellings and Juliet 'Jules' Conner had so many things going against them as a couple. They are so different. Romeo a UFC fighter from New York who was connected to the Mob by his half-brothers being the illegitimate son's of the Don's son. Romeo had spent his life trying to keep his bothers out of the life, but when he was sent to jail, their father got his hooks into them and brought them into the life. Casanova 'Nova' Moretti remembers everything and takes in everything. I believe he has HSAM and photographic memory. He's become valuable to the Mob by his financial wizardry, surpassing his father, Frankie Moretti, in the organization, which makes Frankie his enemy.

Frankie Moretti seems sadistic. He wants Romeo to throw a fight, knowing he won't which will give him an excuse to have Romeo killed and thereby finally having control ove Nova and their younger brother Valentino 'Tino'. Romeo was supposed to throw the fight with Clay, but legitimately lost, which saved his life for a time. But once Clay and Romeo start to become friends, Romeo lets down his guard and lets Jules in more than he intended. They quickly fall in love.

He and Jules have their problems, but when Romeo believe he may die when he doesn't throw the next fight, he asks Jules to marry him. She doesn't react the way he thought she would and with the stress of his live and being connected to the mob, he verbally lashes out at her. Jules breaks up for him on her birthday in a big fight outside her office, where Clay and Wyatt realize they've been seeing each other.

Wyatt, in one of his twin connection moments feels like Jules isn't well and had asked her to go to the doctor. He discovers she's pregnant, but doesn't know it because she's had issues with her hormones and little to no periods. She's been told she probably can't get pregnant. But Wyatt realizes she doesn't know because in her effort to keep her relationship with Romeo secret, she drove out of town to get the pregnancy test, which was expired an inaccurate. Wyatt doesn't want to tell her right away because of the fear she may lose the baby because of their family history and his mother dying at their birth.

In a fit of rage over the fear for his sisters life, Wyatt beat Romeo up, giving him a concussion and bruised ribs, which causes him to have to step down from the fight that the mob wants him to throw. He knows they will be looking for him sooner rather than later and decided to go on the run. He stops to say good by to Juliet only to have her convince him to take her with him. Juliet takes a bag of guns from her and Wyatt's collection to protect themselves. Once they are on the road, Romeo tells Jules about his life and how he has so much money. It turns out that Nova invests it for him, which huge returns. Romeo and Nova call it Gambling.

Wyatt hadn't had a chance to tell Juliet she was pregnant and convinces Nova and Tino to him him track the couple down. Once Romeo turns on his cell phone, Nova is able to track them to their location. He goes after them, only to realize he's been betrayed by his cousin Gino, who had been secretly texting Frankie to them him know where Romeo and Jules are. A shootout incurs and Frankie is about to kill Romeo, but not before Nova gets there and shoots his own father dead.

They they are both badly hurt, Jules and Romeo survive. He won't every fight again since he's lost a kidney and Jules survives to find out she's pregnant with twins. Tino stays with them to keep him away from the Mob and to give him a future. Nova has to go back and deal with the fallout of what's happened and knows he won't be able to be around his family in order to keep them safe.

I loved that Romeo couldn't stay away from Jules even though he knew it would probably be best for both of them. The beginning was a little confusing as the epilogue starts just before Romeo arrives in Garnet, but then the first chapter is just after Romeo saves Melody from her ex-husband in the first book.

Once Romeo was in Garnet, he and Juliet can't seem to keep their hands off of each other. The backstory in how Romeo and his brothers lives were messed up by the mob was told at the perfect time and in a great way.

I thought Wyatt was a bit tough on Jules. But, I don't have any siblings, therefore don't know who it could be, especially with a twin. I also didn't like that he kept her pregnancy from her and convinced her doctor that he would be the one to tell her. That's the problem living in a small town where everyone knows you and your business. It's easy for people to make decisions based on the fact that they knew you when you were a kid instead of what is actually right for you as a patient.

As smart as Nova is, I would have liked for him to have come up with a way out of the Mob so he and his brothers could be together. I was thrilled that he killed his father in saving Romeo and Juliet. I also love how Juliet understood Nova's fasade once she knew his backstory. I would have liked for him to think more about his brother and understand his need for integrity. He kinda felt selfish in some ways to me. I understand he just wanted his bother safe and alive, but I just wasn't sure he was doing everything he could to keep him clear of the Moretti family.

The story flowed well and with good progression of the events. This was much more well done.

View all my reviews

DEFYING THE ODDS by Kele Moon

Defying the Odds by Kele Moon
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

NetGalley free read

Melody has moved to the small town of Garnet in order to ge away from her abusive ex-husband Justin, who seems to be obsessed with her and has threatened her. While waitressing at a small diner, she meets UFC MMA champ Clay "Powerhouse" Powers. She doesn't know he's a fighter and it seems all the men in Garnet are grown big.

At first, Clay is under the impression that him being a fighter would be an issue for Melody since his best friend/foster brother and town sheriff, Wyatt, tells him about her past as well as her reaction to him. But Clay can't seem to stay away from the diner and the pretty curvy blond.

They become friends quickly first, with Clay waiting for her at the end of her shift and at time helping her. But one night when Melody's car won't start and Clay is still in the parking lot, they realize they have a chemistry they can't deny. But as soon as they've started, Melody ends things when she realizes her disturbed ex-husband may be able to find out where she lives. Melody intends to leave town as soon as she can save money and tells Clay they can't be together. Clay knows something else is up, because he can see in her face that she cares as much for him as he does for her.

Clay is about to fight one of his biggest fight and his heart isn't in it. Wyatt and his sister Jules convince Melody to go to Vegas as their trump card to get Clay to care about the fight. During the fight as it looks like he may be losing, Wyatt points Melody out in the stands, which causes Clay to get angry and he takes it out on his opponent and wins.

Melody tells Clay that Justin, could know where she is. Clay tells her they will handle it together. While in Vegas, they tell each other they love each other. Melody thinks things couldn't get better only to turn a corner and find Justin there for her. He brandish's a gun while Clay's opposition, Romeo grabs Melody trying to get her away. Clay finds them only to be shot by Justin, but not before beating him to a pulp.

The story was fine, but it just felt a little rushed to me. I loved Clay as the strong silent time, but I have to say that at the beginning of the book I wasn't sure if there was something wrong with him. Like maybe he was a little slow (I hope I'm not offending anyone by saying that). But I wasn't sure at first if he was our leading man. But, I quickly changed my mind as I loved how he was a little damaged as Melody was, by their pasts, which meant he was just quiet and didn't suffer fools.

I loved how he loved Melody for who she was, a few pounds overweight, glasses because she couldn't see, and sweet personality. He saw then angel inside her.

Back to the story being rushed. I felt like her getting the summons was great, but the request for the people to let her know if her husband got the information with her address was sort of left hanging. I would have thought that would have been a better direction then him showing up in Vegas. And why didn't Melody think of that with the cameras being around after the match. Not that he would show in Vegas, because since his house was being foreclosed on he had lost his job, I wouldn't think he would just go to Vegas, but she should have realized he may see where she was. Then he says someone by the name of Charlie saw her on television. Who the heck is Charlie?

I also thought that Clay's history was a glossed over a little. I seemed like an afterthought.

They fell in love so quickly, I was shocked. Don't get me wrong, after someone goes through what Melody has with her husband and her mother not believing her, she deserves all good things. It just felt, and I will use the word again, rushed.

View all my reviews

TAKING SHOTS by Toni Aleo

Taking Shots by Toni Aleo
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I thought this was a cute story. Although I though Elli has the most abusive family. I can't believe a mother would treat her own daughter the way she does, including encouraging her other daughter to sabotage her relationship. It boggled my mind. But when Hockey Player, Shea Adler comes into her life, she finds it hard to believe that someone like him would love her and be monogamous. So when her sister makes it look like the two are having an affair, Elli easily believes it.

I love how Shea did everything he could to show her that she was the one for him. I loved that her uncle and father were the only two who stuck up for her. But I don't understand why she had such a low opinion of herself when she did have these two men who had her back at every turn.

She broke Shea's heart when she believe what she thought she saw, but the best part was when she sang for him and that was something she would never do. He knew she really loved him.

View all my reviews

FALLING FOR THE LAWYER by Anna Clifton

Falling for the Lawyer by Anna Clifton
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

NetGalley free read

Alex is a young woman who does everything she's supposed to, by her family expectations to her fiance. But on her first day of working for the new partner at the her law firm, JP 'Jonathan' McKenzie changes everything she thinks her life is supposed to be.

She's immediately attracted and caught the they nice gesture of the stranger who comes to her rescue after she's been doused by a puddle of mud by a passing car as she's waiting to cross the street. The stranger takes her to buy a new outfit as she explains she's concerned she will be fired if she shows up as she is, to work for the Grimm Reaper of the office. Everyone expects to be fire and she believe she won't help her chances if she shows up doused in mud.

Once at work, she realizes this knight in shinning armur is her new boss.

JP is attracted to Alex right off and the fact that she extremely smart helps. He was thinking she would be the one to be fired since she's the Junior PA, and they have a new policy of only one PA per partner. But she shows him that there's more to her and he suggests she could be a Paralegal and the firm would pay for her to go to Law School.

Alex shocks him by being upset that he's come up with this solution, since she's engaged to another man and he wants them to get married and start to have babies. Simon, her fiance doesn't want her to work at all and believe that women shouldn't work and that they don't really have the same capacity for business as men. Alex's parents think Simon is a catch, especially since they have been family friends with his parents. She practically grew up with him. Since her parents are older and she was a late in life baby, they all have some pretty antiquated ideas of what she and her life should be like.

But when JP barges into a family dinner when Simon and Alex's cousin show up to surprise her after traveling from New Zealand together, JP gives her family something to think about in the way that they think about her. He tells them how smart she is and that she has a natural aptitude for the law.

Alex's rising attraction to JP causes her much stress, but she soon figures out she wouldn't be happen with Simon nor he with her and breaks it off with him, but not before a steamy moment with JP where he gives her and ultimatum of either him or Simon. The she dosen't, JP thinks she's picked Simon until her best friend and HR manager tells Simon she's broken it off with him.

Simon has to move back to London to run that office and tricks Alex into going to the airport to stop him, where she declares her feelings and he asks her to come with him. He tells her that a week earlier he'd told her parents how he felt about her and got her passport from them in case she came to the realization on her own that she wanted to be with him. He didn't want to be like Simon or her parents, putting pressure on her to do what he wanted her to do.

This was a cute story. Although, I agree with other reviewers that the falling in love seemed to quick. This book also reminds me of a Doris Day / Carey Grant movie, That Touch of Mink. The beginning happens much in the same way. Also, I don't know what age the author is, but I have never seen a powder blue suite be attractive in any way.

It was quick and cute. That's the best I can say about it.

View all my reviews