Book Review: Very Bad Things (Briarcrest Academy #1) by Ilsa Madden-Mills

Holy. Frickin Crap. As I finished this book in the early morning hours, it took me a while to find a word adequate enough to describe how I felt. Consumed. This book completely consumed me. Let me tell you how thoroughly captivated Very Bad Things had me. At 10:00pm the other night I was about 70% through, but I decided to call it an early night for a change. Honestly, it was only so my husband wouldn't complain that I was up all night reading again. For the next hour, I tossed and turned in bed unable to get my mind off of this book. So I headed back downstairs to read "just one more chapter." Snort, yeah right. I had to finish it. There was no way I was stopping until I was done. No book has ever gotten me back out of bed again before this.

Cover Reveal: Breaking the Rules by L.K. Lewis

Morgan Lane has just completed grad school, and has accepted a job at Baylor Industries with the help of her father, who just so happens to be golf buddies with Drake Baylor Sr., CEO.  Morgan has lived her 24 years of life under her parents thumbs, and is more than eager to start living life and carving successful career for herself.

Drake Baylor Jr. is being groomed to take over as CEO of Baylor Industries upon his father’s retirement.  Although he was raised in an affluent household, his formative years were rough, leading to a string of bad decisions, and hard lived years.  In order to take over as CEO, his father has given him a set of rules to live by for an indefinite period of time: No drugs, limited alcohol consumption, and absolutely no relationships whatsoever with women-his greatest weakness.  If Drake can abstain from those three things, work hard, and gain his father’s trust, he can have the keys to the Kingdome. Drake meets Morgan on her first day at Baylor Industries, and the phrase “love at first sight” doesn’t even come close to describing what is felt between them.  Their instant attraction is a magnetic pull that is stronger than either one of them can handle.  Now Drake and Morgan are faced with figuring out how to fight for their future together, hoping not to get caught “Breaking the Rules”.

Book Review: Against the Ropes by Sarah Castille

A new man has entered my top book boyfriends list! I seriously fell in love with Max, AKA Torment, in this book. Novels about MMA fighters have really taken off lately and though I could care less about boxing, MMA or any tyoe of fighting in real life, damn I love these books. There is just something about a possessive, dominant, tattooed fighter that drives me crazy.

Makayla has graduated college and is an EMT, but now she is stuck in her life and flat out broke. She has no idea what she wants to do with her career so she works a crummy job in the hospital's admittance department. A chance run-in with a hot as hell MMA fighter at a local underground club changes everything for her. An abusive past makes her want to turn and run from Torment and the club as fast as she can, but she is too drawn to him. When Makayla is beyond desperate to earn extra money, she agrees to work as the club's physician on fight nights.

Torment has had his own troubled past, which is why he opened up his fighting club, Redemption. Fighting gives hm a sense of control, which he desperately needs. We soon learn that their is more to Torment than meets the eye. There are two sides to this man: Torment the fighter and Max the businessman.

Even though Makayla has a serious aversion to violence, she actually has a harder time accepting the Max side of him then the Torment side. The fact that he has money is something she has a hard time dealing with and makes her feel out of her league.

Book Review A Beautiful Mess (Beautiful Mess #1) by T.K. Leigh

Oliva Adler's parents died in a car crash when she was 6 and she doesn't remember anything about her life before that. The fear of losing people she loves again prevents her from getting close to anyone. She only does casual hookups with no relationships. Everything changes the night Alexander Burnham saves her life. Alexander has known tragedy in his life too. His childhood best friend died 21 years ago and he has never recovered. Still mourning the loss of that little girl, he is shocked when he meets Olivia because the similarities between the two seem like more than coincidence. Same name, same brown eyes, same death of their parents... could this really be her after all of these years? But how could his Olivia be alive when his father told him she died?

Cover Reveal: Together Forever by Vicki Green

After escaping her ordinary life and following her dream of writing a romance novel, Allie Richard’s finds herself falling in love with her sexy best friend Shane Barton. But all too soon, her past catches up to her, trying to tear their budding romance apart.

Finally finding the amazing girl of his dreams, Shane Barton races to protect what’s his and will do anything to protect her. This loving and sexy man is tender to the touch but will fight to keep them together.

Will Allie and Shane be able to withstand what her past throws at them to put an end to their happiness? Will they ever be able to be Together Forever?

Blog Tour: Recklessly (Documentary #3) by A.J. Sand

Wes Elliott just met his match…and she might actually burn his entire world down.

Surfing and sex. This is Wes Elliott's life. And it's just the way he likes it.   `
After seeing his parents stay in a loveless marriage his entire life, and burying away a heartbreak from his past, he knows where romance is best left: crappy chick movies. He'd rather lust and eventually leave, and that's exactly what the plan was when he met Lana Langston.

Except…turns out she’s only in it for the thrills, too. She's always only in it for the thrills: life in the literal fast lane on her motorcycle, and the hot nights in forbidden places without the awkward talks in the mornings after. She's Wes Elliott in way tighter jeans.

Book Review: Beside Your Heart by Mary Whitney

Once again I have fallen for a story about teenage love. We start off with Nikki Johnson looking her high school boyfriend, Adam Kincaid, up online. Adam had returned to England after their year together and is now successful and dating a beautiful, snooty English girl named Muff. It is totally okay to snort at her name, I sure did. I  knew right away that I was going to like Nikki:

"I’d never seen Adam dressed so well. He wore a dark gray morning coat with tails, a vest, tie, and striped trousers. While it would be a little over the top for an American wedding, he still looked achingly handsome. Next to him, Mary or Muff or Twat — whatever her name was — wore a pale pink coat dress with darker pink pumps, making her as tall as Adam."

Ah yes, I knew from that point Nikki and I would get along very well. :) We are soon brought back to high school in 1992 and a 17 year old Nikki. She is having a hard time dealing with her sister's death and she herself is covered in gruesome scars from the accident. Adam is the handsome, British guy with the locker next door. Nikki and Adam are just friendly acquaintances but with two classes together and being locker neighbors, their friendship deepens. Adam is the only person Nikki can open up to about her sister. Their flirtatious banter eventually develops into so much more.

I loved watching their friendship and then romance blossom. Although their relationship was filled with typical teenage angst, I enjoyed every minute of it and I didn't want to get to the end. Oh and dear, sweet Adam. What I wouldn't have given for a hot, caring guy with a British accent to be in my high school! I really adored him and what got to me the most was he didn't hide his emotions at all. There is a point towards the end where he just lets it all out and it was literally painful for my heart.

Book Review: Taming Cross (Love Inc. #2) by Ella James

Cross Carlson has been keeping a secret for too long. A secret that nearly got him killed. One that is eating away at him with guilt. Still recovering from his surgeries, coma and stroke, Cross needs to make things right. He needs to find the girl that his father destroyed.

It has been over a year since Meredith was sold as a sex slave in Mexico. Despite everything that she has been through, she is trying to make the best of her situation. She is now hiding out in a convent and helping disabled children. When the safety of the children and nuns in the convent is threatened, Meredith knows she must leave them.

Will Cross get to before the evil cartel does? And if he does, will she want help from the son of the man who did this to her?

Their attempted escape from Mexico back to The United States is filled with physical and emotional pain, utter craziness and suspense and sexual tension. They are both drawn to each other but have their own big secrets holding them each back.

Cover Reveal: Mine (Real, Raw & Ripped #2) by Katy Evans

In the international bestseller Real, the unstoppable bad boy of the Underground fighting circuit finally met his match. Hired to keep him in prime condition, Brooke Dumas unleashed a primal desire in Remington "Remy" Tate as vital as the air he breathes…and now he can’t live without her.

Brooke never imagined she would end up with the man who is every woman’s dream, but not all dreams end happily ever after, and just when Remington needs her the most, Brooke makes a discovery that forces her away from the ringside. Now with distance and darkness between them, the only thing left is to fight for the love of the man she calls Mine.

I belong to him. He belongs to me. Our love is all-consuming, powerful, imperfect, and real...

Book Review: Bad Things (Tristan & Danika #1) by R.K. Lilley

Holy. Frickin. Hotness. I knew Tristan was going to be hot, but I don't think I was prepared for how hot. I wanted to read this book for 2 reasons: 1. It is a spin-off of the Up In The Air series which was crazy awesome; and 2. We met Tristan & Danika in that series and I needed to know how they got together and what the heck happened to them.

Tristan and Danika have instant chemistry, but she doesn't do hook-ups and that is all he does. So they agree to be just friends. Snort. yeah right. The electricity between them is off the charts and it is only a matter of time. Living together and spending so much time with one another makes that more and more difficult by the day. When they finally get together, holy crap, my Kindle practically ignited.

Book Review: Toeing the Line (Bits & Bytes #2) by Allyson Lindt

I love that the books in Allyson Lindt's Bits & Bytes series all feature geeky but hot heroes and heroines. I have read a ton of books, literally, over the past two years and this is the first time I have come across heroes like this and its a nice change. Zane is an awesome hacker who was then recruited by the government to work for the Air Force. After doing that for five years, he has returned home and is trying to figure out what to do for work. Riley, his best friend since high school, works in the insurance industry but also is an artist who draws graphic novels. She tends to dive in head first into relationships only to discover down the road it wasn't right. The problem is, she doesn't know what she is looking for and thinks maybe she doesn't truly know what love feels like. On the other hand, Zane isn't looking for a romantic relationship at all.

Cover Reveal: Karma by Nikki Sex

Sometimes love has nothing to do with luck, and everything to do with karma…

Marcy Paget worked full time putting her husband through university. When he finally became a success, he dumped her for a trophy wife more than ten years younger than he was, leaving Marcy to raise their seven year old daughter by herself.

Even though Marcy knows she is better off alone than with a cheating husband who doesn’t love her, she is still struggling to make ends meet.

When an ethical dilemma is presented to her however, she never realizes the karmic chain of events that will follow her decision....

Title: Karma
Author: Nikki Sex
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Goodreads: www.goodreads.com/book/show/18274130-karma
Release Date: August 31, 2013


About the Author
"Hey there, I'm Nikki Sex and I write adult romance!
Yes, you are of course correct, that isn't my real name. I'm a complete coward where my mother is concerned. Luckily my mother is in denial. She still thinks I was a virgin when I got married.
I’ve been writing for well over a year now, and this convoluted little head of mine always seems to have another story trying to get out. I hope you give one of my books a try!"
Website: nikkisexstories.com
Goodreads: www.goodreads.com/author/show/6585579.Nikki_Sex
Social Media: @NikkiSexAuthor; www.facebook.com/onlysexystories

Book Review: Shooting Scars (The Artists Trilogy #2) by Karina Halle

First things first, this is NOT a stand alone novel. If you have not read book one, Sins & Needles, then stop reading this review and go buy it now. Go on - it's excellent, trust me. OK, now that we have gotten that out of the way, let's move on to Shooting Scars. This is not your hearts and flowers with hot sex kind of romance novel. Oh there is hot sex, but not like you expected. No, The Artists Trilogy novels are dark and messed up romance stories and they are completely enthralling. It had been a while since I read Sins & Needles and I had somehow forgotten just how good Karina Halle is. So much frickin happens in this book and I will do my best to not give anything away.

Shooting Scars picks up right where Sins & Needles left off with Ellie leaving with Javier in order to protect Camden and his family.  Stuck with the man she once loved but now hates, Ellie is left to wonder what sort of plans he has in store for her. Is he going to kill her? And why has he come for her now after six years? Meanwhile, Camden wants to get his ex-wife and son settled and safe before he sets out after Ellie. But a betrayal has his life taking another unexpected turn. He finds himself a partner and together they start the hunt for Ellie sooner that he expected.

Back in the home they once shared together for a year, Javier tells Ellie what he wants from her. But I never felt like he was being 100% honest with her, even right up until the very end of the book. The last thing that she wants to do is help Javier, after all she hates the man. Doesn't she? Remember what they say about their being a fine line between love and hate? Yeah, well we definitely get a look at that in this book. And Javier is a damn expert at manipulating Ellie's past feelings to get what he wants from her. Since she feels likes she has no other choice, Ellie agrees to go along with Javier's plan. Ellie ends up doing something that I want to hate her for, but I can't. Honestly, I really felt like it was inevitable and I was waiting for it to happen. I don't like it, but I get it.

As Javier's plan gets put into motion, it seems more and more like an impossible task for Ellie. Will Camden and his new friend ever catch up to Ellie and Javier? And if they do, will it be too late to save her?

Ellie, Camden and Javier are all such complex characters with their own sets of demons. Each of them walks the line between right and wrong and often times the line is blurred, even for the reader. Camden has to do things to find Ellie that are morally wrong, but I find myself not giving a damn.  And Javier. Sigh. He is a bastard and I do hate him, but I love how the author wrote him. Karina Halle's story telling is completely captivating and she had me deeply involved from the first page till the very end. There is never a dull moment and you will feel every emotion while reading Shooting Scars. And yes, there are twists and a cliffhanger at the end which sets us up for an exciting finale. This is another winner from Karina Halle and I cannot wait for the series conclusion, Bold Tricks, releasing October 15, 2013.


The Artists Trilogy Reading Order
.5 - On Every Street (prequel novella)
1 - Sins & Needles
2 - Shooting Scars
3 - Bold Tricks (Oct 15, 2013)

Marianna's Rating:

**I received an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review. All Thoughts and opinions are my own.

Title: Shooting Scars
Author: Karina Halle
Series: The Artists Trilogy #2
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Romantic Suspense
Goodreads: www.goodreads.com/book/show/17230559-shooting-scars
Website: khalle.wordpress.com
Social Media: @MetalBlonde; www.facebook.com/pages/Karina-Halle/140649372629593
Book Description:
Sometimes the right choice can be the deadliest.

When Ellie Watt made the ultimate sacrifice for Camden McQueen, she never thought it would be easy. But walking away with her ex-lover, Javier Bernal, in order to ensure Camden’s safety has brought a whole new set of dangers. With Javier’s plans for Ellie growing more secretive by the moment, Ellie must find a way to stay ahead of the game before her past swallows her whole.

Meanwhile, Camden’s new life is short-lived. Fueled by revenge and pursued by authorities, he teams up with an unlikely partner in order to save Ellie. But as Camden toes the line between love and retribution, he realizes that in order to get back the woman he loves, he may have to lose himself in the process. He might just turn into the very man he’s hunting.

Told in dual POV from Camden and Ellie.

Buy:

Book Review: Conflict of Interest (Bits & Bytes #1) by Allyson Lindt

Kenzie can't believe that her twin sister thinks she is frigid and uptight. (Did NOT like her sister Riley at all, by the way). To prove to herself that she is wrong, she approaches the hot guy at the coffee shop, who she has seen there before. They immediately start trading witty, innuendo laden banter which leads to an incredibly hot truck makeout scene. Unfortunately, they are interrupted and both the characters and the reader are left hanging.

Scott has his own software company that he and his best friend built themselves. But he doesn't filter what comes out of his mouth which leads to a very displeased board of directors. In order to get the stiff, old men off his back, Scott agrees to work with a PR professional to help clean up his act.  Surprise, surprise - guess who the PR gal is? Both Scott and Kenzie are shocked to be sitting across from each other at the conference table. Kenzie knows better than to get involved with one of her clients, but once the sexy banter starts up again, nothing can keep them off each other.

Can Scott handle the fact that Kenzie is trying to mold him into something he's not, even if it is just her job? And will Kenzie be able to handle the consequences of sleeping with her client?

I loved this book! It made me smile and literally laugh out loud. It was witty and sweet and so very hot. It is told from alternating points a view between Kenzie and Scott, which is one of my favorite methods. I love getting inside the minds of both the hero and heroine. This was a fun, light hearted summer read and I will absolutely be checking out future books from Allyson Lindt.

Conflict of Interest is the first book in the Bits & Bytes series, but each book can be read as a stand alone.

Marianna's Rating:

**I received an eBook in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.


Title: Conflict of Interest
Author: Allyson Lindt
Series: Bits & Bytes #1
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Goodreads: www.goodreads.com/book/show/17702587-conflict-of-interest
Website: allysonlindt.com
Social Media: @allysonlindt; www.facebook.com/AllysonLindt
Book Description:
Kenzie propositions a sexy stranger in a coffee shop to prove to herself she’s capable of taking a risk. She doesn’t expect him to be sitting across from her the following Monday as her newest client. Even worse, she can’t stop thinking about what might have happened between them on a personal level if it weren’t for their professional relationship. He knows how to push her buttons, and she doesn’t want him to stop.

Scott has built his software company from the ground up to escape things like stuffy old men telling him how to behave, so he loathes his board of directors ordering him to make the public forget he doesn’t have a verbal filter. When his new publicity manager is the almost-fling he never expected to see again, he seizes the opportunity to have fun and still pretend he’s complying with the board’s edict.

Giving in to desire could mean both their jobs, but each “one last time” always leads to another. Now they have to decide what they’re willing to sacrifice to indulge this conflict of interest.

Summer of Spice & Everything Nice Giveaway Hop

There is nothing I enjoy better on a lazy summer day (or  night) than reading a steamy romance novel. I have teamed up with some great book bloggers and authors to bring you not only a Kindle giveaway, but some of our favorite spicy quotes and teasers from the books we love.

Hosted by Author Morgana Black and Mark My Words Book Publicity

Cover Reveal: Worth the Fight by Vi Keeland

It didn’t matter that the ref called it a clean hit.  Nico Hunter would never be the same. 

Elle has a good life.  A job she loves, a great apartment, and the guy she’s been dating for more than two years is a catch and a half.  But it’s boring…and she strives to keep it that way.  Too many emotions are dangerous.  Her own past is living proof of what can happen when you lose control.

Then Nico walks into Elle’s office and everything changes…for both of them.  But what can the tattooed, hard-bodied MMA fighter and the beautiful and always steady attorney have in common?  A lot more than they bargained for.

Book Review: Breathless (Jesse #1) by Eve Carter

When I first caught a glimpse of Jesse in Deceived - Part 2 Paris, I instantly liked him. He was sexy and hot and even a little sweet. And the scene with him and Chloe was beyond steamy. But in the beginning of Breathless, my feeling for him were the complete opposite. Now I kinda hated him. After suffering an injury that is keeping him off the Motocross circuit, he is numbing his sorrows by drinking, drugging and whoring back in his hometown in Upstate New York. Oh and let's not forget the bar fights. Total and complete turn off.

Forget Me Not by Sarah Daltry #Giveaway

Lily had a crush on her brother's best friend, Derek for years - which led to their steamy night ten months ago in her bedroom. Now, Lily is going off to college and she and Derek are still going strong. However, when school starts, she realizes it's hard to maintain a relationship while also trying to live her own life. She and Derek find themselves falling apart and Lily has no idea where to turn.

Enter Jack. Everything about him is wrong for Lily and she knows it, but she can't stop herself from being attracted to him. When things implode with Derek, it's Jack who is there to pick up the pieces - and show Lily an entirely new set of experiences she didn't know she was missing.

Of course, Jack has his own problems and once Lily gets to know him better, she starts to wonder if she can handle all of Jack. When Derek reappears on the scene, Lily is forced to decide between two guys and herself. Can she find herself without losing the people who matter in the process?

Book Review: Burn (Breathless #3) by Maya Banks

In this conclusion of the Breathless Trilogy, we finally get to Ash's story. After reading the first two books, Ash seemed to me to be the most laid back of this trio of hot alpha men. And his friends think he is too. Boy, none of us could have been more wrong. I honestly had no idea that behind his easy going charisma he was hiding an intense Dominant. But trust me, I'm not complaining. It was delicious.

Ash ended up being my favorite of the men in this series but Josie blows the other girls away in my opinion. She is an inspiring artist with incredible talent. Strong with none of that wishy washy crap that can get annoying. What I enjoyed the most of all about Josie was that she is already familiar with a Dom/sub relationship. She is not the inexperienced new submissive that doesn't understand the nuances of this type of relationship. So there is none of that training and "oh I'm nervous I've never done this before" stuff that is prevalent in so many books of this genre. Not that I am necessarily complaining about those because I enjoy them too, it can just get old. Josie knows just what she wants and exactly what she can handle and dives right in. And yeah, Josie and Ash together are on fire.

Unscrupulous by Avery Aster Celebrity Dream Cast #TheManhattanites

At thirty-three Warner Truman is one of the richest men on the planet, a spa mogul who buys and sells resorts at will. He holds powerful executive’s careers in his well-groomed hands. Nothing is beyond Warner’s reach…until he meets her. Stunning, tantalizing, and perverse, Taddy Brill captivates Warner’s carnal desire like no woman he’s ever met. A self-made millionaire, Taddy is tougher than steel, more brilliant than diamonds and, at twenty-seven, she’s never depended on a man for anything…until she meets him. The more Taddy plays with Warner’s affections, driving him to erotic heights, the more she is confronted by a dark past. But before she can love him, Taddy must meet her worst fears head-on or risk losing it all, including herself.

Check out my 4-star review of Unscrupulous!  Below, author Avery Aster (who is a hoot by the way, you NEED to follow her on Twitter) has put together her dream cast for Unscrupulous. What do you think of her choices? Who would you cast for Warner and Taddy?

Cover Reveal: Mine (Naughty Girl #2) by Scarlett Metal

Alexandra opened her heart and let herself be vulnerable to Paul. The walls around Paul's heart were torn down by the feisty Alex. Both of them are happier than they've been in a long time.

Paul's ex-wife comes to town and turns their life upside down with news that shakes Paul to the core, making him question everything he's ever done. Will Alex be reminded of why she’s never trusted anyone and leave? Can Paul show Alex that she's the only one for him before it's too late? Or will someone else from their past destroy them beyond repair?

Book Review: All Grown Up by Sadie Grubor

I have never read a more frustrating couple as Chloe and Leo. And yet, their totally messed up story had me glued to my Kindle for 5 hours straight. I could not stop until I was 100% done. The book starts with a 14 year old Chloe in the summer before her freshman year of high school. Her new neighbor, Mina, becomes her best friend and she instantly has a crush on her older brother Leo. The story quickly progresses to the summer before senior year. Leo has come back for the summer and can't  believe that the beautiful brunette is Chloe. Now he is the one that is crushing.

It takes a few month but their romance soon blossoms and takes off. Until the following summer when it all comes crashing to a halt because Leo was an idiot. Yes I am totally taking the girl's side on this one. He totally screwed up and because of that their relationship ends without any real closure. Over the net several years they try to move on but they both make mistakes that mess with their lives. To be frank, everything becomes a giant clusterfuck. So much drama and they find themselves entangled is a web of lies. It was a wreck, but a wreck I couldn't tear my eyes away from nonetheless. Could they possibly salvage any kind of relationship with each other?

This was a long book and spanned from Chloe's teens to probably late twenties. I enjoyed the story of Chloe's and Leo's sweet teenage love. And I love how hot things got between them when they were adults. I can't say that I loved all of the drama in between, but damn it made for an intense story that I couldn't put down.

Book Review: Off Course (Off Series #4) by Sawyer Bennett

Dear Lord. I have never wanted a hot Irish man as much as I do right now. Cillian, Cillian, Cillian. Sigh. Devastatingly handsome? Check. Tattoos? Check. Delicious Irish brogue? Check. Seriously, he couldn't be more perfect.

So we briefly met Renner in book 3, Off The Record, while she was visiting her cousin Lincoln.  Now she is in Ireland, working at her uncle's pub and trying to figure out what the heck to do with her life. She didn't anticipate running into sexy rocker Cillian again after their brief but hot kiss 5 years earlier. Cillian remembers her too and wants the beautiful woman she has grown into even more than he wanted the 17 year old girl. And he wont stop until he has her. Despite Renner's constant rejection, Cillian is relentless. How long before Renner gives in to her attraction to the bad boy Irish rock star?

Renner and Cillian together are beyond hot. Cillian is blunt and to the point and so damn sexy it hurts. So hot and sexy that I have so many quotes highlighted in my eBook that I am having a hard time choosing which ones to share.

Cover Reveal: Divided by Livia Jamerlan

Alani LaBelle has it all, great job, amazing friends, and a loving fiancé. Traveling to Las Vegas with her girlfriends for her bachelorette party was supposed to be a fun girls weekend. She never expected to cross paths with Ryan Kraft. A complete gentleman who is also sweet, kind and extremely sexy. The sexual chemistry she feels for him is undeniable. Though it is only a few hours they share she feels a connection with him. Thinking it may be cold feet she brushes it off and tries to focus on her loving fiancé Marco.

Book Review: Deeper by Blue Ashcroft

Rain and Knight have both experienced tragic losses in their young lives. For 19 year old Rain, that loss has her making extreme promises to herself and traveling halfway across the country to escape the pain. For Knight, 22, his loss has kept him from giving his heart to another girl.

There are things I really enjoyed about this book and other aspects that were difficult for me. My naughty side thoroughly enjoyed the author's description of Knight's sexy swimmers body. My mind immediately went to the Summer Olympics with all those delicious swimmers on display. There were also some steamy scenes that had me yearning for more. I did like Knight a lot, despite his crazy over protectiveness. I understood why he was the way he was. And I loved that after initially fighting his attraction to Rain, he started to embrace it.

“Her eyes open and shine up at me, then close again as her head tilts back in pleasure. It’s some kind of heaven for me, some kind of home, and it’s been so long. I hold her legs around me and smooth my hands along her back. I need more proof that she’s really here with me. Cleansing me. Healing me. Rain.”

Friday Freebies 8/9

Four free books to enjoy this weekend! Have a good one. :)

Title: Honeymoon for One
Author: Chris Keniston
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Goodreads: www.goodreads.com/book/show/18132921-honeymoon-for-one
Book Description: To escape local gossip, jilted bride Michelle Bradford embarks on her honeymoon cruise - alone. Coaxed by a thrill seeking hunk she never expects to see again, she slowly sheds her good girl persona to have some well deserved fun. But unlike Vegas, what happens on the high seas doesn't always stay there.
Buy:
   

Book Review: Resist (Songs of Submission #6) by C.D. Reiss

Hooray for the longest book in the series! Unlike the first 5 installments of Songs of Submission, Resist is not a novella but closer to a full length novel. And yes, it still wasn't long enough for me! But honestly, it could be a 2,000 page epic novel and probably still not be enough for me. I just love Jonathan and Monica that much. And C.D. Reiss writes them so darn perfectly. I can actually feel their electricity and feel their love.

"Jonathan," I whispered, his name a white flag of surrender. "Did you just shudder, or is it cold in this parking lot?" "Was there anyone before you?" "You might have thought so at the time." "I feel like no one's ever loved me before." "I'm sure they did their best, but you always belonged to me."

Resist picks up 2 days after the events in Burn, which ended in a huge cliffhanger. We were left wondering what the heck was going on and what would happen to Jonathan. As usual, his ex-wife Jessica is screwing things up for them. While Jonathan has figured out what Jessica's angle is, Monica isn't satisfied. Well, the oh so secretive Mr. Drazen isn't telling Monica much. She wants answers. Answers about Jessica. Answers about Rachel. And since she's not getting any from him, she'll go to the source. But what good can come from talking to the enemy? Will Jessica just fill Monica's head with lies?
 
Jonathan is beyond frustrating in this book and I really wanted to slap him around a bit and shake him while yelling "what the hell are you doing?!" Yet despite that, I still love that man. Yes he is secretive and controlling but he is also over the top sexy and I love him. And the sex? Dear lord the sex. So. Frickin. Hot.

Book Review: Searching for Moore by Julie A. Richman

This book was a very pleasant surprise for me. What initially drew me to Searching for Moore by Julie A. Richman was that the main characters were older, in their early 40s. While I do enjoy the new adult genre a lot, it is also nice to read about love in my age group as well. Though at 34 I still have some time before I become part of the 40 group. This book actually as the best of both worlds: present day and flashback to teen years.

Searching for Moore is broken up into two parts. The first part starts off with Schooner Moore at his 43rd birthday party in California. Surrounded by his wife, CJ, and her Real housewives wannabe friends, he is miserable. His buddy mentions the name of someone that grabs his attention: Mia Silver. His first love. His only love. We are then immediately sent back in time to their freshman year of college to learn about how they met and fell in love.

I really enjoyed learning the back story of their young love. Mia and Schooner were so perfect together and so in love. Yet Schooner somehow finds himself in a love triangle with Mia and CJ, torn between what people expect and what he actually wants. And then Mia disappears without a trace, with no explanation and he never hears from her again. Will we ever find out why Mia left Schooner? Schooner's part of the book ends with him joining Facebook to try and get in touch with Mia.

Book two shifts to Mia in New York and remains in the present day. Mere seconds after accepting Schooner's friend request, she is on the phone talking with him. Even over the phone, 24 years later, there is still chemistry. Their reunion was so sweet and eventually so very hot.

Book Review: Master Undone (Inside Out #2.5) by Lisa Renee Jones

Finally! After 2 full length novels and 4 novellas, we finally get inside of Mark Compton's head! Master Undone is a short novella in the Inside Out series by Lisa Renee Jones and it occurs the day after Being Me ends. After discovering what has happened to his last submissive, Rebecca, Mark's mind is reeling. He blames himself and vows not to get close to anyone again. Flying to new York to deal with a family emergency, Mark meets Crystal Smith, who works for his mother. Crystal is the exact opposite of what he normally likes: she's blonde, alpha and absolutely not submissive. Yet he finds himself incredibly turned on by her.

"...my blood pumps faster, just thinking about having her naked and willingly at my mercy. I can’t help but think she’s exactly what I need: a challenge. And how sweet her submission would be, because I’d really earned it."

He has never needed a woman before, but right now he needs Crystal. He fights an internal war within his head to stay away from her. Which side will win?

I must admit that I was annoyed with mark in Being Me because of the way he tried to get between Sara and Chris. But this novella and little peek at Mark's thoughts quickly erased that. My only complaint is that this was way too short and it left me wanting more! I really hope there is another Mark POV novella in the near future to continue with this story line.