Perform for Me by Lori Toland

Perform for Me by Lori Toland

My rating: 5 of 5 stars



Freaking heck that was HAWT!!! Because this is a novelette, there’s not a huge amount of back story or character development, but Ms. Toland still manages to create characters that felt real, as did the connections between the men. It’s obvious that Corey loves his boyfriend Justin and vice versa. The security of their relationship is firmly established when Justin encourages Corey to indulge in his voyeuristic needs. I’m sure it didn’t hurt that Justin benefited from Corey’s heightened arousal when he would return home from the sex club, nor was it a nightly or even weekly occurrence. I was a tad taken aback when Justin gave Corey permission to join in should someone catch his eye. But hey, if Corey has a voyeurism kink, why can’t Justin have a cuckhold fantasy? Thank goodness Justin gave Corey the go ahead because that night Corey received an offer from a Dom that he couldn’t refuse and I know I for one am glad he couldn’t because that was one seriously hot man-on-man-on-man scene. And when Corey gets the chance to join Michael, the Dom, and his sub outside of the club… let’s just say my Kindle needed a cigarette. My only complaint, and it’s really more of a lament, is that this was so short because I would really love to see what happened next and to be able to indulge my own voyeuristic tendencies. I can only wonder how Ms. Toland knows that M/M shower scenes are my kryptonite – guaranteeing Perform for Me a spot on my reread shelf.

I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
Reviewed by Angela at Crystal's Many Reviewers!



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The Terms of Release by B.A. Tortuga

The Terms of Release by B.A. Tortuga

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



I ADORE Sage Redding. As his story unfolded over the course of the book, my heart broke for him time and time again and yes, I even cried once or twice. But the tragedies and injustices that Sage deals with makes the happiness he finds with Adam that much more poignant.

The Terms of Release opens with Sage getting a phone call from his momma asking him to come home to Texas because his father needs help on the ranch. We quickly learn that Sage’s reluctance to return to Texas has nothing to do with the parents he loves dearly or the ranch he grew up on, but rather the persecution he will face upon his arrival and it begins immediately upon him stepping off of the bus. Fortunately, Sage has a small but loving support system that has his back and after a brief encounter at the feedstore, he finds an ally in the last place he ever expected – among the family of the man he went to jail for supposedly murdering. Being ex-military, Adam understands that Sage faces a major adjustment when leaving a world in which you answer to someone else about every one of your actions and joining a world in which you don’t. What I really enjoyed about Adam’s behavior toward Sage was that as a police officer, he firmly believed that Sage had paid his debt to society and that he should be allowed to live his life without fear of reprisal from Adam’s Cousin Angel’s family. Even better was that Adam set out to befriend Sage regardless of what his family might say and when he discovered that he was attracted to Sage, he still didn’t let his family’s objections deter him. This turns out to be a really good thing because the relationship between the two is sweet, supportive, and HOT!!!

Ms. Tortuga does a wonderful job of infusing realistic situations into Sage’s plight, both good ones and bad. They not only served to enrich the story, but also gave readers a chance to take the measure of the man and understand that despite his time in prison, Sage is a good man with a good heart. In all actuality, once the details regarding Angel’s death were revealed, I wanted to throttle Angel’s self-righteous father. Talk about a case of being in the wrong place at the wrong time! I found myself just as baffled as Adam with Sage’s seeming acceptance of how his life turned out, while at the same time admiring Sage’s ability to focus on the here and now instead of a past he could not change. Even though life isn’t fair (nor does he lament this fact), Sage discovers who the important people in his life are and who really cares about him when tragedy strikes. The Terms of Release was a wonderfully moving tale and I look forward to reading more of the Ms. Tortuga’s work.

I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
Reviewed by Angela at Crystal's Many Reviewers!

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Breathless by Alex Morgan

Breathless by Alex Morgan

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



I admit that initially I was hesitant to read Breathless – not for the M/M aspect (because I certainly enjoy those reads), but rather the paranormal aspect. While I enjoy movies and television shows which feature psychics, books with psychics as main characters tend to be iffier for me – the ways in which a book can go wrong far exceed the likelihood that the author will be successful in his or her efforts to weave a story in which the psychic powers enhance the character and story rather than dominating it or making it farcical. That said, Mr. Morgan has succeeded in walking that fine line and creating a character – Corey Shaw – who is believable as a person and as a psychic and one I am glad I got the opportunity to read.

As noted in the book’s blurb, Corey is a paranormal detective called in to use his blend of psychic powers to find a murderer. By all descriptions, Corey is Greek-god-hot and in a six-year relationship with an insecure and jealous man who nearly goes apoplectic when Corey gets called to Provincetown during a major leather event – it is clear to the reader that Ethan’s insecurity does not bode well for their relationship. But Corey takes his role as Psionic detective seriously and throws himself into the investigation fully – so fully that he learns (or admits) things about himself he didn’t know (consciously) … he enjoys being sexually dominant, especially over someone else who is dominant. This self-realization and BDSM elements were yet another aspect to the storyline that Ms. Morgan handled confidently and kept them relevant to the story rather than having the characters indulge in sex for sex’s sake. But I will say, the sex that occurs is HOT, especially when Corey dominates Master Darryl.

Breathless is a great start to the Corey Shaw Mystery series. Mr. Morgan has crafted an interesting world in which persons with psychic abilities are able to use them in law enforcement, while populating said world with a charming cast of characters. Based on the series listing on Goodreads, it appears that the entire series is being rereleased by a new publisher and I am looking forward to the rerelease of the next book in the Corey Shaw Mystery series as I want to know what happens to Corey next.

I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
Reviewed by Angela at Crystal's Many Reviewers!

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Courted by Fall by Bree Cariad

Courted by Fall by Bree Cariad

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



Courted by Fall is the second book in the In Hyacinth series and brings us Cami’s story. If you read book one – which I strongly recommend that you do first so that you understand the courting system of Hyacinth – then you are already familiar with some of her story as she is Alexander’s younger sister. Cami befriended the newly arrived Kathy and helped her understand some of Hyacinth’s courting system as she herself was excited about her upcoming eighteenth birthday so that her longtime friend and crush, Damian, would be able to finally court her as he promised he would do. But when Damian shows up for a dinner at Kathy’s during Courted by Discipline, we realize that he may not intend to follow through with his promise.

In the opening of Courted by Fall we find Cami seeing off Xander and Kathy as they are moving to Nashville so that Kathy can attend college. While Cami is happy for her brother and best friend, she is also sad because she will miss them and because Damian did indeed break his promise and left town in a scandalous fashion. In her grief and determined to deal with her problems on her own, she engages in behaviors that are self-destructive and ends up in the hospital where she briefly meets Jerod Kinsley. After her hospitalization, Cami is forced to reevaluate her life and what she wants out of it. As events unfold we learn that Cami is not the only one getting a second chance because she just may be Jerod’s second chance for happiness.

While I still find the courting system odd (as in, not something I would ever participate in), I really enjoyed Courted by Fall. Because book one had already introduced Hyacinth’s courting system, this book focused more on Cami herself and what she endured when her life was turned upside down and what she experienced while she got back on track, including her relationship with Jerod. I loved the way in which Cami’s family united around and for her and helped her find her way. Their support went a long way in giving her the confidence she needed to start her own consulting business – and I gotta say that I loved how the men in her life had no problem admitting to their lack of fashion sense. Typically I prefer sex in my romances, but Ms. Cariad writes the In Hyacinth series in such a way that I don’t need it. These novellas are sweet romances that make for a nice break in my reading schedule and I am already looking forward to reading Courted by Trouble.

I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
Reviewed by Angela at Crystal's Many Reviewers!

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Lady Catherine's Secret by Sheridan Jeane

Lady Catherine's Secret by Sheridan Jeane

My rating: 5 of 5 stars



Lady Catherine has a secret and for a lady of the ton it's a BIG secret. A scandalous secret. A secret that could ruin both Lady Catherine and her family. Lady Catherine is an accomplished fencer. While that is bad enough, the aspect of her accomplishment that would cause her family's ruination is that to partake of training she dresses as a boy and must enter the men's dressing room. That she does so in her brother's company would not preserve her reputation as there is still the matter of her traipsing about in men's clothing...trousers! Egads!

While it is difficult to imagine living in an era when trousers on a woman and the exposure of one's ankle is scandalous, Lady Catherine is everything I love in my historical romance heroines – she's spunky, she's determined, and she's fiercely independent. At the same time, she does what she must to keep her secret from her mother and to keep her happy by portraying the dutiful daughter. So it is with much chagrin that Catherine faces her toughest challenge – enduring the husband hunt her mother has planned. As the requisite see and be seen social engagements ensue, Catherine finds it draining as she has less and less time to practice for the upcoming tournament. One of the things I enjoyed most about Lady Catherine's Secret is that Catherine did not fall in love with Huntley immediately upon seeing him; to the contrary, she sized him up as an opponent as their first encounter took place at the fencing studio – but she did notice that he was handsome. In the same vein, when Huntley first meets Lady Catherine he is intrigued by her contradictions but dismisses her as she does not meet the criteria he has set for a proper wife.

Their relationship actually progresses naturally from physical attraction to fondness to mutual respect until incidents cause them each to realize that despite their best intentions, they have each come to love the other. Consistent with the genre, Huntley and Catherine do not consummate their relationship until after they're married (don't act shocked, you knew that was where they were headed) and it was quite the steamy scene. While my review focuses primarily on the romance, Lady Catherine's Secret has a major romantic suspense storyline that, as expected, threatens Huntley and Lady Catherine both individually and as a couple. Even knowing how books of this genre tend to play out, I was concerned for Catherine's safety more than once. I thoroughly enjoyed Lady Catherine's Secret and it has found a rare place on my re-read list – something not many historical romances achieve. As this is the second book in the series I should note that it is not necessary to read book one first; that said, I so enjoyed the author's writing style and plan to go back and read It Takes a Spy… as soon as I can.

I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
Reviewed by Angela at Crystal's Many Reviewers!

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Game Play by Lynda Aicher

Game Play by Lynda Aicher

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



I received a free copy of this book to read and review for Wicked Reads.

I really enjoyed Game Play. It’s not often that I read sports romances in which the main female character is also an athlete and I can say I have never read one in which she was a hockey player. So for that fact alone Ms. Aicher gets beaucoup points – which she ultimately did not need as I found both Samantha and Dylan to be fascinating characters and their story kept me entertained from beginning to end.

Although I’ve never been accused of being athletic, I could appreciate Samantha’s frustration with her situation and the resentment it caused. Born, bred, and fed a life of hockey, it’s in her blood and the fact that she can no longer play in an official capacity has left her feeling bitter about her forced departure from the world of competitive hockey. Refusing to follow in her father’s footsteps and become a hockey coach, Samantha has reluctantly mapped out a new life plan that does not involve hockey. Reconciled to her new path, she has begun to cut hockey out of her life as much as possible. But because of her position with the U.S. Women’s Hockey Team, a chance encounter with Dylan Rylie thrusts her back into the world she is trying so hard to avoid. The connection between Rylie and Samantha is electric, enough so that her rather cold shutdown after they have sex the first time was as shocking as it was hot. Fortunately the author gives us enough insight into Samantha to make her shutdowns and avoidance over the course of the book understandable. It turns out though, that Samantha has met her match when it comes to stubbornness and Rylie is intent on getting to know her, and not just because she was the best sex he’d ever had.

While Game Play is a romance, quite a bit of the story centers on and is effected by Samantha’s journey to find her new place in the world. While their intense passion guarantees some freaking hot sex scenes, it also insures that when push comes to shove, the ones you love are the ones who can inflict the most damage. As much as I like Samantha and understood her position, I was amazed by Rylie’s persistent pursuit. The man was borderline masochistic with the way he kept putting his heart out there for her to push it away. But a man doesn’t become a professional hockey player by giving up easily and he proved to be just what she needed, even if their timing was terrible. I will admit that I definitely shed a few tears while reading Game Play and they were well worth it. I absolutely loved the ending the author crafted for the couple. Ms. Aicher is off to a great start with the Power Play series and I look forward to reading the next book.

Check out the Game Play by Lynda Aicher Blog Tour post on Wicked Reads.


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Ryder's Redemption by Rose Dewallvin

Ryder's Redemption by Rose Dewallvin

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



Ryder’s Redemption is a definite improvement over Faith’s Temptation. While still not as gritty as I like my MC books, Ms. Dewallvin does bring some grit to this installment of the Dueling Dragons MC series. As I had hoped, Ryder’s Redemption picks up the storyline promised in Faith’s cliffhanger and does a good job in crafting in interesting read with more action and involvement in the MC lifestyle.

This book begins up with Ryder being held by the Russians after they bailed him out of jail. They feel that Ryder owes them money as their product was seized when he was arrested, and they expect him to pay off this debt by competing in underground fights. It is while he is in their custody, that he gets cold and angry and this is where the grit comes in. Ryder’s character becomes edgier, more aggressive and possessive, far more alpha male than he was in the first book, and a much better read character wise.

On the other hand, I found Faith to be far more off-putting this time around. I was floored when she accepted Peggy Sue’s apology and they re-started their friendship from scratch, completely ignoring the fact that Peggy Sue slept with Faith’s boyfriend. The conversations between Faith and Ryder still seem a bit stiff to me, but there is improvement from those in book one and the sex scenes were more enjoyable this time.

Ms. Dewallvin demonstrates an improvement in her writing from Faith’s Temptation to Ryder’s Redemption. I enjoyed that parts of the story were told from Ziggy’s point of view, not just from Faith and Ryder’s POV. As I am hopeful that Ziggy will play a big part in the next book in the series, I look forward to reading it so that I can find out what happens to the characters and find out if the author’s writing style continues to improve.

I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
Reviewed by Angela at Crystal's Many Reviewers!

Check out the Ryder's Redemption by Rose Dewallvin blog post on Crystal's Many Reviewers.


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Take Heart by Willa Okati

Take Heart by Willa Okati

My rating: 5 of 5 stars



I opted in to read this book primarily because of the author. The book’s blurb sounded interesting, but having read another book by Ms. Okati I was excited for the opportunity to read more of her work. When I started reading Take Heart I didn’t bother to look up which book of Ms. Okati’s I had read, but by the end of the first chapter I knew exactly what book, or rather books they were – her Mighty Casey series. Just as she did with Nate and Casey, Ms. Okati has created a similar couple with Evan and Griff in this book. I am not saying that she has recycled her characters because Nate and Casey would never be confused for Evan and Griff, but rather she creates couples who know one another so well that they don’t have to communicate every little thought out loud. I’m not talking about the cutesy couples who finish one another’s sentences, but the couples who are so in sync that don’t even have to start those sentences. In the case of Evan and Griff this turns out to be a very good thing as they work to get the good doctor to see the benefits of a long-term ménage relationship.

While this style of writing can be a tad disconcerting to begin with, I found that it made it easier for me to relate to Brendan’s hesitancy when faced with the couple. Heck, even having access to their inner thoughts still left me at a loss at times as to what Evan was trying to communicate to Griff; that is, until I realized that Griff could be just as slow on the uptake as I was. I suspect that some readers won’t enjoy the author’s use of the couple’s shorthand communication system, but for me it makes Griff and Evan feel even more realistic and the kind of people I would like to count as friends. Their silent communication comes into play quite a bit in their seduction of the good doctor and later in the bedroom and it just seems to make an already hot scene sizzle. These three men have some amazing chemistry together and I was oh so happy to have a front seat to that action. My only real complaint about the book was that I felt like there was a good deal unsaid as to why Brendan had taken a temporary job/vacation in St. Hawk’s. Take Heart is a great start to Ms. Okati’s new series and I can only hope that we find out more about Brendan, Griff and Evan in future installments in the St. Hawk’s Medical series.

I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
Reviewed by Angela at Crystal's Many Reviewers!

Check out the Take Heart (St. Hawk's Medical #1) by Willa Okati blog post on Crystal's Many Reviewers.


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Trapped in Oz by Andrew Grey

Trapped in Oz by Andrew Grey

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



Mr. Grey has been on my to-read list for about a year now and sadly I haven’t had the chance to pick up one of his books. So when the opportunity came up to review Trapped in Oz, I jumped at it. Although it is the third book in the series, it is written as a standalone and seems to be connected to the previous books in the series by the town and the people who live there.

Even though Martin and Gary are both 20 years-old, they have had entirely different life experiences. Gary’s parents disowned him when he came out to them. Fortunately he was already set to start college, so while he had to deal with the emotional upheaval of his family’s bigotry, he at least had a plan in place and his grandmother’s death provided more stability as she left him her house. Gary had to learn the hard way that life isn’t fair and that the very people who should love you unconditionally don’t always live up to your expectations. Gary is a sweet guy, one who keeps getting back up each time life kicks him in the teeth. He wears his heart on his sleeve despite having had it abused before because when he cares for someone he does it with everything he is, which is why his family’s rejection was so painful for him.

Unlike Gary, Martin has only just begun to realize that he’s gay and has only come out to one person; he hasn’t told his parents for fear of rejection. But when his parents have to move for his father to take a promotion, Martin must find a new place to live. Fate and the classifieds lead him to Gary and they quickly discover that being roommates may be just what they need as Martin is quite skilled with household maintenance and willing to help Gary fix up the house in exchange for a reduction on the rent. Once Martin moves in and they get to know each other, they find that they are able to help each other emotionally as well.

I enjoyed watching Gary grow more confident as the book progressed. As much as I hated how he was hurt in the scene when Martin dumped him off his lap to keep his mother from seeing them together, I was happy to see him stick up for himself with Martin. Rather than portraying characters with perfect responses to situations, Mr. Grey creates characters who are real and have real responses. Gary knew that Martin was still coming to terms with his sexuality and needed time to tell his family, but that didn’t make the aforementioned scene hurt any less. There is just the right mix of angst and emotion that make the characters and their reactions authentic. Trapped in Oz was a really good read and I look forward to reading more of Mr. Grey’s writing.

I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
Reviewed by Angela at Crystal's Many Reviewers!

Check out the Trapped in Oz by Andrew Grey blog post on Crystal's Many Reviewers.


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The Seek by Ros Baxter

The Seek by Ros Baxter

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



If you are looking for a book that is heavy on the sci-fi and action that has just a bit of romance, then you may want to check out The Seek. Although it is the second book in the series, the first appears to be more of a prequel novella that features a couple of the characters that are from the main character Kyntura’s past and while they do appear in this book and the incident is discussed, it is more in passing and not pivotal to the plot of The Seek.

In The Seek, we learn that Earth was conquered (and possibly destroyed – I’m a little unsure on that point), leaving the surviving humans to flee the planet and begin looking for a new home. Kyn was eleven when she was forced to flee and was taken in by a neighbor who raised her alongside his own children. Seeing something within her, he pled her case to join the Avengers, which serves as the New Earth’s military force. As the sole woman in the Avengers, Kyn fought her way up the ranks literally and her skill earned her the position of Magister (trainer). What I liked about Kyn was that she wasn’t the bada$$ they thought she was because she was a woman proving a point, but rather her success was due to her using her position to work out her fury and rage at all that she had lost over the years. Because she was determined to minimize her losses as much as possible, she was hard on her trainees. She didn’t care if they didn’t like her or if they called her unsavory names, she only cared that she did everything within her power to give them the best chance at survival. Kyn comes off as cold, unfeeling, and not sentimental, but this is far from the truth. She compartmentalizes her feelings to a near robotic degree so that she can teach her squad to survive and the first mission her current trainees goes on demonstrates how good she is at what she does. When one of the settlements takes a turn for the worse and her trainees are slated to be sent to the field sooner than they are ready for it, Kyn does what she has to in order to go with them so that she can do what she can to save as many as possible. She’s a realist and understands that despite her skill, her own survival is not guaranteed but she does not care.

The Seek is an action packed read that pits Kyn against unknown forces, reunites her with friends she never expected to see again, and causes her to question everything she has done for the past decade. While the book is light on romance, this does not mean that it is lacking sex. Kyn doesn’t make connections because they are distractions, but she does have physical needs and will seek out a partner when needed. As such, readers are treated to a couple of steamy scenes. But things really heat up when Kyn’s path crosses that of a man from her past and she must confront feelings she thought had been buried long ago. Ms. Baxter has done a great job of setting The Seek up for its sequel and I cannot wait to find out what happens next to Kyn and the people of New Earth.

I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
Reviewed by Angela at Crystal's Many Reviewers!

Check out The Seek and Ros Baxter blog post on Crystal's Many Reviewers.


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The Little Red Book by Melinda Barron

The Little Red Book by Melinda Barron

My rating: 2 of 5 stars



I loved the premise of The Little Red Book and was really looking forward to it. Unfortunately the book just didn’t work for me. I enjoyed Ms. Barron’s writing style and the ease with which the story flows, but I did not like Felix once he and Charlotte embarked on their D/s relationship.

I found it quite interesting that during the lunch at the café when he has Charlotte read a passage from the little red book, he tells her that unlike the Mr. Riddle from the book, he does care that his sub enjoys their activities. Yet throughout most of the book, to me his actions don’t line up with this. There were several times during the book that I felt that rather than pushing her limits, Felix was outright ignoring them and doing whatever pleased him. I was shocked that he took her to the playdate on their second official weekend together and refused to tell her what to expect. As their previous discussion regarding limits was woefully inadequate, I found his treatment of her appalling. His refusal to listen to her concerns about proposed acts and his “you’ll take what I want, how I want, and when I want” attitude was a major turn-off for me as it reeks of abusive rather than dominant. As did his withholding of forgiveness after a punishment spanking. The point of a punishment spanking is to absolve the sub of guilt and start with a clean slate, yet he only granted forgiveness a couple of times and actually said “perhaps” when she asked for forgiveness after one punishment spanking. And that he gave her instructions that were designed to make her fail and “earn” a punishment just pissed me off.

Equally irritating was that Charlotte believed that if she used her safe word then that not only ended the scene but the relationship. Whether it was true or not is irrelevant because it was how Charlotte felt and it influenced her decisions. That said, if it was true it merely shows how big of an arse Felix was, and if it wasn’t true, then it points at his failure to communicate with his sub. And this points to where my biggest issue lies – his failure to train Charlotte. While it is true that Charlotte had some experience in the lifestyle, Felix determines that she is not as well-trained as he would like, yet does little to train her outside of punishing her when she’s wrong. Granted, there were parts of their arrangement that Charlotte enjoyed, but his refusal to acknowledge or negotiate about new components being added to their relationship were problematic for me. Sadly The Little Red Book is just an okay read for me, thus the 2-star rating. This is one of those books that I recommend you check out for yourself because you may not have the issues with Felix that I did and Ms. Barron’s writing style is enjoyable to read even if the characters were not.

I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
Reviewed by Angela at Crystal's Many Reviewers!

Check out The Little Red Book by Melinda Barron blog post on Crystal's Many Reviewers.


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Rule Breaker by Harper Kincaid

Rule Breaker by Harper Kincaid

My rating: 5 of 5 stars



Yowser! That was HOT! No, that was HAWT!!! I want my own Jackson Sullivan. I felt sorry for Laruen when she first walked into the bar. Being dumped on New Year’s Eve because the guy you’ve been dating decided to reconcile with his ex-wife sucks big time. My sympathy for her lasted up until the moment Jackson began stalking toward her and then I was as jealous of her as the bar skanks were. Jackson is sexy as sin, responsible, tatted up, determined, protective, possessive, and an alpha male through and through – the kind of man it would be crime against nature should he not reproduce. And with each chapter, he just got better and better. I LOVED the scene when he finally meets her parents. After that scene, Lauren had not one chance in hell of not falling for him. Honestly, how many guys are going to stand up to their possible future in-laws and call them out on their treatment of their daughter? Obviously Jackson Sullivan has been added to my short list of book boyfriends, but I kinda have a girl crush on Lauren. Her character is that of someone I would want in my inner circle of friends. She’s sweet, genuine, respectful, and was so totally in love with Jackson before she was willing to admit it. It was cute how she tried to follow her mama’s rules for dating in an effort to humor her female family members while trying to find someone to settle down with. This was made even better by the fact that Jackson and her interactions with him flew in the face of every one of her mama’s rules and he ended up being perfect for her. The chemistry between Jackson and Lauren is perfect and the sex is off-the-charts hot – especially on his birthday! Rule Breaker is Ms. Kincaid’s debut novel and I am thoroughly impressed. It is a definite reread for me and I cannot wait for the next book in the Break on Through series. Well done Ms. Kincaid!

I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
Reviewed by Angela at Crystal's Many Reviewers!

Check out the Rule Breaker (Break on Through #1) by Harper Kincaid blog post on Crystal's Many Reviewers.


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Crashing the Boards by Jami Davenport

Crashing the Boards by Jami Davenport

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



I received a free copy of this book to read and review for Wicked Reads.

Crashing the Boards is a sweet and sexy novella which introduces fans of the Seattle Sockeyes to the team captain Cooper Black. We get a quick glimpse into the locker room as the players learn the news about the team’s sale and impending move to Seattle. If you’ve already read Skating on Thin Ice, as I have, you are familiar with a few of the characters and this will feel like a quick trip to the past because the scenes in this novella occurred at the same time. But rather than a rehashing of the same events, Crashing the Boards shows readers the night that Cooper and Izzy met. Because the bulk of the story occurs during the party, the connection is quick and the attraction electric. This is not an insta-love situation but rather a boy-meets-girl, boy-feels-tricked-by-girl, and boy-decides-he-wants-to-date girl story. Quite simply, it is the tale of their first meeting with a steamy encounter designed to whet your appetite. I read this in preparation for Crashing the Net and now I cannot wait to see where Izzy and Cooper’s relationship goes. Thank goodness my Kindle is all queued up for the rest of their story.



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Faith's Temptation by Rose Dewallvin

Faith's Temptation by Rose Dewallvin

My rating: 2 of 5 stars



I like my MC books gritty and the grittier the better. Unfortunately, Faith’s Temptation is sorely lacking in the grit department. It’s so gritless, that when Faith and Ryder start making out on the beach – shortly after walking barefoot on said beach – he proceeds to lick and suck on her toes as part of their foreplay before they have sex. As someone who grew up in the Florida Panhandle and has been on several of the beaches along the Gulf Coast in Florida, Alabama and Mississippi, I found that scene very difficult to believe because Gulf Coast beach sand sticks to everything, especially in between the toes.

Sadly, this was not the only thing I found lacking in the book. The dialogue often felt stilted, especially between Ryder and Faith. Ryder’s sister Layla is the queen of mixed messages – she warns Ryder away from Faith, tells Faith that her brother is not a good man and she should avoid him, yet when Faith has a fashion emergency while getting ready for her first date with Ryder, Layla comes to the rescue with a halter-dress and heels. But most importantly, Ryder is not believable as the VP of an MC, especially as he tells Faith that he runs drugs and guns and has murdered people. He lacks the hardened edge that is typically associated with someone in his position; the fact that he seems to have no qualms in telling Faith that he loves her, will take care of her, and wants to marry her is at total odds with the outlaw biker/trucker personality he is supposed to possess. An alpha male he is not and as much as I hate to admit it, I found myself snickering at several of the sex scenes when the author attempted to portray Ryder is sexually dominant.

While I did enjoy Faith’s character more than Ryder’s, I found the speed at which her resolve to not date anyone crumbled when Ryder pursued her for date surprising – and by that I mean she agreed to a date after he asked her twice. However, she definitely redeemed herself when she confronted her ex-boyfriend Beau and her ex-best friend, Peggy Sue; now THAT was a scene that made up for her waffling. I also found the ending of the book to be quite enjoyable – and no, not because it was the end, but because of the situation Ryder finds himself in. It certainly sets the stage for the sequel

I was so excited to read this book because I remember reading the sample on Amazon when it was originally released under the title, The Lost Trucker, and being disappointed that it was no longer available for purchase when I was ready to read it. Unfortunately, Faith’s Temptation did not live up to its blurb’s potential and it was just an okay read for me. I can only hope that the next book in the series is better and fulfills the promise of the cliffhanger.

I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
Reviewed by Angela at Crystal's Many Reviewers!

Check out the Faith's Temptation by Rose Dewallvin blog post on Crystal's Many Reviewers.


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Deputy's Bride by Anita Philmar

Deputy's Bride by Anita Philmar

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



Deputy’s Bride was a quick and sexy as heck ménage novella set in the Old West. Bo Kildare is everything I would be expect from a deputy living in Texas when it was considered the Wild West. He’s confident, gruff, down to earth, and he knows what he wants and what he doesn’t want and right now, what he doesn’t want is one of the many virginal brides the well-meaning mothers in the territory keep shoving at him. Fortunately for Bo, a friend of his father’s has agreed to help him find a bride who can meet his particular needs and she has the perfect woman for him, Sarah.

Recently widowed and trying to start a new life for herself away from the reputation her husband’s wild parties and less than reputable business dealings has earned her, Sarah is anxious to meet Bo. She is relieved to find that Bo is not only the gentleman that their mutual friend described, but there’s an obvious attraction between them. When they test out their compatibility that night, she’s more than happy with how her future is beginning to look. Yet despite her reputation and the type of marriage she had with her husband, Sarah is unprepared for Bo’s ultimate requirement of his bride-to-be – she must be willing to sleep with his brother too! Thankfully for all involved (including the reader), Bo doesn’t spring this condition on her until they’re at his ranch and she is kind of forced to get to know Chase. While Chase isn’t known for warming up to people, Sarah finds herself attracted to him as well and the attraction is mutual.

I actually liked that Sarah didn’t automatically agree to the ménage relationship and even when she did, she put conditions on it. That Chase agreed to her conditions because he loved his brother enough to be willing to forego access to Sarah entirely just to see Bo happy elevated the story for me. I’m a ménage lover, but you give me a meaningful story surrounding the relationship and I’m all in. Of course, Deputy’s Bride wouldn’t be a true ménage if Sarah didn’t eventually change her mind and thankfully she did, thus opening the door for Ms. Philmar to demonstrate her ability to create super-hot sex scenes no matter the number of partners involved. I will admit that I was surprised with how well developed Sarah’s past was considering this is a novella. Ms. Philmar doesn’t overwhelm the story with details from Sarah’s past, but works them into the storyline where appropriate so that it better explains some of the things she does. The little bits of intrigue from Sarah’s past added flavor to the book and made Deputy’s Bride an all-around enjoyable read for me. I was excited to learn that this is the third book in a series, so I’ll have to check out the previous books as I quite enjoyed spending time in Naked Bluff, Texas.

I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
Reviewed by Angela at Crystal's Many Reviewers!

Check out the Deputy's Bride (Naked Bluff, Texas #3) by Anita Philmar blog post on Crystal's Many Reviewers.


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Secrets and Charms by Lou Harper

Secrets and Charms by Lou Harper

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



Secrets and Charms was an enjoyable m/m romance with a twist of mystery for an added flavor. I really liked Olly’s character – he’s charming, friendly, loyal, and willing to give people more than one chance to make a good impression. And that last character trait is the only thing that helps Rich out when he tries to correct the first impression he made after his first encounter with Olly. As Olly is Rich’s sister’s friend who has agreed to help her with some of the renovations on her new house, Rich needs to learn how to play nice with “the fruit.”

Sadly, Rich is the homophobic product of his upbringing and is still reeling from the recent family troubles that necessitated him moving in with his sister, making it even more difficult than normal for him to interact with Olly in a civil manner. Actually, Rich’s father managed to do such a number on him that Rich appears to have been ignorant of his own homosexuality until he began spending time with Olly. Not surprisingly, this confusion causes Rich to lash out at Olly more than once. Fortunately for Rich, Olly is the kind of guy that fulfills his promises and continues to work alongside Rich on the renovations to Sandy’s home. I really liked the patience that Olly showed Rich after he realized that Rich was so far in the closet that he didn’t even realize he was in it. Even though Olly couldn’t relate to Rich’s situation, he made a conscious effort not to take Rich’s freak-outs personally and continued to encourage Rich to accept himself.

I liked the way is which Ms. Harper had Olly prod Rich without pushing him to accept his homosexuality, in part by posing questions in such a way that Rich was able to separate his emotional reactions from what he thought his father’s response would be from the logical acknowledgement that his father would not have accepted him either way. That Olly was the younger of the two was irrelevant in the situation because Olly had more experience in “living gay” and was more than willing to help Rich adjust to his newfound sexuality. In spite of Rich’s constant waspish behavior, the chemistry between the two was very believable in an opposites attract manner and made for some rather hot sex scenes. The subplots of blackmail and the impetus for Rich’s relocation just added to the whole Secrets and Charms experience and left me planning to go back and read book one in the Secrets series to see what else Ms. Harper has up her sleeve.

I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
Reviewed by Angela at Crystal's Many Reviewers!

Check out the Secrets and Charms by Lou Harper blog post on Crystal's Many Reviewers.


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Shattered Illusions by Brenda Cothern

Shattered Illusions by Brenda Cothern

My rating: 5 of 5 stars



Having read a couple of Ms. Cothern’s contemporary m/m romances, the most recent being Guns & Hoses in which I first “met” John, I jumped at the chance to read Shattered Illusions. As it has been a couple of months since I read the book’s blurb, I forgot that it was a paranormal m/m romance, but within a few pages the paranormal aspect was front and center so I hunkered down to find out whether or not Ms. Cothern would be a successful cross-genre writer. I am pleased to report that she absolutely is.

After Simon interrupts an assault, saving John from even more pain and possibly death, he helps him get home and calls in John’s estranged friend, Flame, to take over. While Simon finds John attractive, he refuses to ask for his number because he is disturbed that his libido is targeting a badly beaten man. Through a series of events, John and Simon begin communicating via text and spending time together … in their dreams. Oh yes, in their dreams. Simon is a dream walker (among other things) and is able to enter John’s dreams. As John engages in lucid dreaming, he and Simon have a couple of “dream dates” that don’t stop at the front door. Good grief! Who knew astral sex could be so freaking hot? Unfortunately when Simon informs John of their shared dreams and his ability to dream walk, John assumes that Simon is crazy and breaks off their budding relationship. When presented with proof that Simon is not nuts, John must figure out what to do, how to proceed, and whether or not he can open his mind to the possibility of Simon and his abilities.

I absolutely loved this book. The interactions between Simon and his supernatural co-workers were great. The camaraderie and protectiveness revealed how tight-knit of a group they are – they are one another’s chosen family. This is very apparent when they begin to meddle in his personal life – especially when it comes to John. As the cherry on top, Flame and Tig (from Guns & Hoses) make several appearances in Shattered Illusions, giving its readers a chance to catch up with the guys. While this is the fifth book in the Shadows series, it can be read as a stand-alone book without issue. However, I enjoyed this book so much and the other employees of Shadows that I have to go back and read the previous books in the series so that I can find out their stories. Once again Ms. Cothern you have delivered a wonderfully written novel that has been added to my re-read list.

I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
Reviewed by Angela at Crystal's Many Reviewers!

Check out the Shattered Illusions by Brenda Cothern blog post on Crystal's Many Reviewers.


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The Capture by Erika Wilde

THE CAPTURE: The Marriage Diaries, Volume 6 by Erika Wilde

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



Eden delivers again! One of the things I’ve really enjoyed about the series is that of the novellas I have read, the ones that are from one of an author’s series is written so that it can be enjoyed as a stand-alone book yet introduces you to that series and The Capture does this very well.

Dean and Jillian have been married for twenty years and less than a year ago they spiced up their sex life with a bit of BDSM. As part of it, they each have a “fantasies” vase from which they will draw one of their partner’s fantasies and try to fulfill it if they can. In order to fulfill the most recent of Jillian’s fantasies pulled, Dean books them on a weekend getaway to Eden where he has made arrangements for a rather elaborate fantasy – Jillian being claimed by a rogue pirate. While I have only read a few of the books from the Invitation to Eden series, this is the first that has involved role play and it was great. The staff – and possibly other guests – did a wonderful job of recreating the pirate-filled tavern where Jillian was auctioned off, not only did she fall into her role but I felt the realistic nature of the role-play scene. As Dean embraced his role as Black Heart so thoroughly it was easy to get swept up in the story right along with Jillian. I loved that Jillian and Dean showed that twenty years of marriage did not equate stale sex because the sex scenes are HOT! Shiver me timbers and all my girly parts! I look forward to reading more from the Invitation to Eden series as well as checking out Ms. Wilde’s The Marriage Diaries series.

I received a free copy of this book to read and review for Wicked Reads.

Check out the Invitation to Eden – The Capture by Erika Wilde Blog Tour post on Wicked Reads.



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Dirty Rowdy Thing by Christina Lauren

Dirty Rowdy Thing by Christina Lauren

My rating: 5 of 5 stars



They’ve done it again. The writing team of Christina Lauren has made my face hurt yet again with all the laughing and smiling I did while reading Dirty Rowdy Thing. Thankfully they tempered it with a little bit of angst and a couple of moments between Harlow and her mother that were so profoundly moving for me personally that they gave my smile muscles a break. But regardless of what part of the rollercoaster I was on, it was certainly one heck of a ride watching Harlow and Finn navigate the difficulties in their lives, use one another as a distraction from said difficulties, and eventually realize that they wanted more.

I absolutely LOVED Harlow. She’s feisty, funny, loving, and loyal – she’s the kind of person you want to count among your friends. And when the bottom of her world drops out from under her, she is left reeling and with no idea of how to find her balance. That it, until she finds her anchor in the last place she expected – her Vegas ex-husband, Finn. As Finn is dealing with the potential loss of his family’s livelihood, he’s got a lot on his plate and cannot even entertain the idea of a relationship with anyone. But he is more than willing to give Harlow the distraction they both need for one night. As one night turns into two and three and more, they agree to keep things physical – no feelings to muck up the sex. Not only was the sex H.O.T! hot, Finn knew just what to do to tie Harlow up in knots … literally. Oh my god I was not expecting the rope scenes and that was a REALLY nice surprise!!!

Dirty Rowdy Thing is a wonderful read that sucked me in from page one. I loved the interactions between over-sharing Harlow and the non-sharing Finn. Their chemistry was intense and that made their witty banter that much more entertaining. I cannot wait to read the next book in the series, but I must plan for a series re-read the next time so that I can get the full Christina Lauren effect.

I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
Reviewed by Angela at Crystal's Many Reviewers!

Check out the Dirty Rowdy Thing by Christina Lauren blog post on Crystal's Many Reviewers.



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The Hooker and the Hermit by L.H. Cosway & Penny Reid

The Hooker and the Hermit by L.H. Cosway & Penny Reid

My rating: 5 of 5 stars





I LOVED IT!!! I am a huge fan of Ms. Cosway’s and when I saw that she was co-writing a book featuring an athlete as the main male character, I was beside myself with glee. Although I have never read Ms. Reid’s writing before, I’ve heard good things about it so I was doubly looking forward to The Hooker and the Hermit. Let me just say that these ladies did not disappoint me.

Annie has a secret … she’s one of the most popular anonymous bloggers on the internet. As her online persona – the Socialmedialite – Annie is witty, charismatic, and pokes fun at unsuspecting celebrities (mostly male) in a good natured way while raising awareness and money for various charities. Because her posts are often satirical and she avoids “attacking” her celebrity victims, most of them are pleased to be featured … that is, until her most recent post. Ronan Fitzpatrick. The rugby player who was recently suspended for assaulting a teammate. The rugby player whose image is so messed up that he is about to become her new project at work. The rugby player who is so much more than she expected, who makes her pulse race, and who is becoming more important to her with each new bit of information she learns about him. That Ronan seems to be just as taken by Annie doesn’t help any because while the Socialmedialite is all about attention, Annie is not. She goes to great lengths to blend in with the crowd and keep to herself. So when the two are photographed together and the PR agency decides that she’s perfect faux-girlfriend material to help reform his image, Annie is thrust into the public eye and the Hermit becomes the center of attention – her worst nightmare. She must decide what’s more important to her – the man she has come to love or her anonymity.

I absolutely loved Annie, Ronan, and Annie & Ronan. Each character is written so that they feel like real people, people I would love to be friends with. As individuals, they’re great, but as a couple they are a freaking decadent treat – éclair anyone? I loved the connection that they had for one another and how gradually it grew from just a physical attraction to falling in love. Even though we were past the half-way point before they finally had sex, the sexual tension between Annie and Ronan was fabulous. As for the sex scenes, mmmmm……. I wasn’t expecting any BDSM in the novel so it was a wonderfully tingly surprise. I completely forgot to mention that on top of everything else, Ronan is Irish; so I was thrilled as I imagined him speaking with a brogue. I quite enjoyed the balance the authors bring of melancholy drama and over-the-top antics that had my heart breaking for the two and then snorting out loud a few pages later; thankfully my snort does not sound like it belongs to “the love child of a pig and an alligator.” The Hooker and the Hermit was a thoroughly enjoyable read for me and will definitely be added to my re-read list. Obviously Ms. Cosway is already on my go-to author list, but I will certainly be checking out some of Ms. Reid’s writing.

I received a free copy of this book to read and review for Wicked Reads.

Check out The Hooker & The Hermit by L.H. Cosway & Penny Reid Blog Tour post on Wicked Reads.


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Ice of Chelsea Camaron & Jessie Lane

Ice by Chelsea Camaron & Jessie Lane

My rating: 5 of 5 stars



I was probably midway through Ice before I began to figure out what was so special about the Regulators Motorcycle Club. One of the reasons I like reading MC books is that while there are often similarities among the philosophies of the various clubs, they each tend to be unique in their own way and whether it’s a major difference or a minor difference, it’s what keeps this particular genre from stagnating for me. Because no matter what I expect from an MC romance, there’s always a nuance that keeps it from being a regurgitation of every other MC book I’ve read and Ice provided me with a new MC series to look forward to.

I have to give Morgan a lot of respect. I’m not sure that I would have been as open to Ice’s help and intrusion in my life after their previous interactions in which he was a complete arse. While I understand that she was at the end of her rope when dealing with her sister’s disappearance, she was most certainly a better woman than I would have been and I’m not a grudge holder. Fortunately, Ice made it easier for her to accept his help as he did admit that his previous behaviors and judgments were wrong – even if he refused to apologize, and I just gotta say that I appreciated the logic behind his refusal. I really liked how protective he became of Morgan once he and the club took on the search for her sister and the lengths to which they were willing to go to find her. Yes, her sister’s disappearance went hand-in-hand with their current machinations, but they stepped up their schedule so that they could get Madyson home quicker. I will admit that I enjoyed the interrogation scene immensely, probably more than I should have.

While Ice is an action-packed MC romance that kept me entertained from page one, what I enjoyed most about the book was that Ice didn’t attempt to bed Morgan until after her sister was home safe. Even though the attraction between the two was apparent, the sexual tension was not the focus of the story until after Madyson’s rescue. But once that business was complete, all bets were off for Ice and he set out to make Morgan his. They had great chemistry and this made the sex scenes hot, especially when Ice finally took Morgan out for a date at his daughter Brooke’s insistence (and that was a chuckle inducing scene all its own). I thoroughly enjoyed Ice and am already looking forward to the next book in the Regulators MC series.

I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
Reviewed by Angela at Crystal's Many Reviewers!

Check out the ICE Tour Stop! blog post on Crystal's Many Reviewers.


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HeVan Sent by Lucy Kelly

HeVan Sent by Lucy Kelly

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



HeVan Sent was a pretty good sci-fi romance. I enjoyed the author’s writing style and really liked the concept and the way in which the story unfolded. While the idea of a matriarchal society in which the males outnumber the females is one I have encountered before – and tend to love because it lends itself to polyamory – Ms. Kelly does a nice job of taking ownership of the concept and creating HeVan. The plot to overthrow the house of HeVanth and the steps taken to do so that were revealed in the Prologue was an excellent way to set the stage for the book and the series.

The biggest detractor for me that prevented me from loving the book was Addie. For the most part, Addie is very interesting and likeable character. She is very intelligent, strong-willed, independent, and takes life in stride, adapting to the situation as needed. Despite all of this, there are times when she is downright juvenile, especially in her inner monologue. My problem wasn’t the juvenile antics themselves, but rather the jarring nature of a shift from thoughts and behaviors consistent with the PhD student she is to the thoughts and antics of someone with the maturity level of a 12 year-old girl who just discovered her boobs were growing. These personality shifts (for lack of a better term), would yank me out of the flow of the story and prevented me from fully immersing myself into the book.

That said, I enjoyed HeVan Sent and the way in which Addie’s relationship with Arjun, Kylan, and Rune developed. Their joining scene was none like I’ve ever encountered before and I loved it. I was both disappointed and glad that the book ended with Addie and the guys still on Earth. I had hoped to see her encounter with the current ruler of HeVan, but am glad that the series will be playing out over several books. HeVan Sent has the series off to a good start and I’m looking forward to reading the next book in the Nephilim series.

I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
Reviewed by Angela at Crystal's Many Reviewers!

Check out the HeVan Sent by Lucy Kelly blog post on Crystal's Many Reviewers.


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Driving Into the Sun by Dev Bentham

Driving Into the Sun by Dev Bentham

My rating: 5 of 5 stars



Driving into the Sun is an absolutely beautiful love story: both external love between two people and internal love – learning to love yourself. Dusty is not in a good place in his life. He’s been unemployed for a year, ever since he lost his job in the financial industry and his boyfriend because his boyfriend was stealing peoples’ money. He feels he has no other choice but to move back home with his parents and hope that his brother will give him a job – not an exciting prospect as his father is homophobic and has not made his disappointment and dislike of Dusty’s sexuality a secret. But what’s a guy to do when it’s clear that his life has become a series of bad choices, one right after the other?

While Dusty does make a really bad choice to hang out with Ryder at the beginning of the road trip instead of staying with Joe, the “bad choices” that have put him in the situation where he feels like he has to go home is the choice of falling in love and trusting that the person he loves has his best interest at heart. Personally I don’t think that qualifies as a bad choice; rather it is a reflection on the other person’s character if they take something as important as love and misuse it. Unlike a lot of people, Dusty learns from his actual bad choices. Instead of whining about how unfair life is – and if anyone deserves to do that it’s Dusty – he sees his mistakes as the life lessons they are and resolves to do better.

It’s because of this that he finds himself quickly falling for Joe. After the fiasco with Charles, Dusty swore off men because he knew that he wasn’t the kind of guy who could separate sex from love and he just couldn’t go there again. But Joe’s actions spoke far louder than words (and not just because Joe wasn’t all that talkative), and Dusty found himself falling for Joe and I can’t fault him there. I loved the dynamic between Dusty and Joe. Even though they were only together for a couple of weeks, they got to know each other gradually. That may sound contradictory, but anyone who has ever been on a road trip knows that you get the real version of the person you’re with after a couple of days. I enjoyed witnessing their relationship develop and how Dusty helped Joe as much as Joe helped him. The sex scenes between Dusty and Joe are not only hot, but emotionally moving as well. But my favorite part of the book was when Dusty actually listened to what the people in his life were telling him, especially at his parents’ anniversary party, and made the decision to start his life over. Driving into the Sun is a book that I know I will read again. Ms. Bentham has done an excellent job in weaving Dusty and Joe’s tale and I look forward to checking out more of her work.

I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
Reviewed by Angela at Crystal's Many Reviewers!

Check out the Driving Into the Sun by Deb Bentham blog post at Crystal's Many Reviewers.


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Unchained by Caris Roane

Unchained by Caris Roane

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



Having read the Savage Chains serial novel, I was really excited about reading this book. While I liked Unchained, I did not enjoy it as much as I did Savage Chains. Despite liking the characters, I failed to connect with Shayna and Marius and I think this more than anything is what relegated Unchained to be a good read instead of a great read.

I both enjoyed and detested Shayna’s scientific mind. The upside was that it enabled her to accept Marius’s presence and several events throughout the book logically rather than freaking out over the seriously scary stuff she was confronted with. The downside was that her ability to approach a situation scientifically made her hesitate in certain situations that I felt she should have agreed to assist with immediately. While I liked Marius a great deal, I found his overriding guilt to be a tad too much of a martyr complex for me, especially as it had gone on for 400 years. I appreciate that it spurred him on in the battle against their father, but for an individual as emotional as Marius seemed to be I didn’t find his allowing 400 years to pass without bringing the incidents up to be believable. Thank goodness for nosey women! Even though I may have not fully connected with Marius and Shayna, that doesn’t mean they didn’t connect with one another – which resulted in some pretty steamy sex scenes.

Although I have not read Born in Chains or Chains of Darkness, I was able to read this book as a standalone. There may have been some overlap as conversations in Unchained indicate that Marius’s brothers Adrien and Lucian each battled their father Daniel much as Marius did, but there were no statements that left me confused as if I had missed a crucial detail for the storyline. Unchained was an action-packed book and while I did find it to be lagging in places – again, likely due to my inability to connect to Shayna and Marius – it was an enjoyable read and I do intend to go back and read the other two books in Ms. Roane’s Men in Chains series.

I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
Reviewed by Angela at Crystal's Many Reviewers!

Check out the Unchained by Caris Roane blog post on Crystal's Many Reviewers.


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Lana's Awakening by Kristin Elyon

Lana's Awakening by Kristin Elyon

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



I’m not sure what is more frightening, that this book is inspired by “true real life events” or the sloppy editing in the last third of the book. Because I often review pre-release copies of books, I rarely comment on the editing because I don’t always know if the copy I received is the final version or not. But as this book has been out for several months, I am assuming that it is the published version and would feel remiss if I didn’t comment on the fact that the frequency of errors increased significantly towards the end of the book – enough so that missing or misspelled words kept pulling me out of the story. I consider myself a rather forgiving reviewer when it comes to this because no one is perfect (myself included), but when it interrupts my reading flow repeatedly I feel I have to note it. That said, Lana’s Awakening was a really good read.

If you do not enjoy dark subject matter, do NOT read this book. If reading scenes involving abduction, sexual assault, and physical violence bother you, do NOT read this book. If sexual interactions involving bondage, sensory deprivation, breath play, and humiliation bother you, do NOT read this book. However, if you are an open-minded reader and can enjoy books with these attributes, grab yourself a copy of Lana’s Awakening and hunker down for an intensely dark read that will leave you questioning which monsters were created, which monsters were unleashed, and who created whom. I use the term “monster” in accordance with the book and not my belief that one’s sexual proclivities marks one as a monster. While I am a firm believer of “to each his own” in the bedroom, this does not apply to Lana’s abductor because nothing he did was consensual. That his actions led to Lana learning more about herself is entirely moot – the ends do not justify the means, especially as that was not his intent.

Without giving away too many details, Lana’s recovery after her abduction causes her to examine her reactions to what Daniel did to her and she comes to understand that she is submissive by nature and, although the book does not come out and say it explicitly, she is also a masochist. While she finds safety in her post-abduction relationship with Sergio, he is unable to give her what she truly needs. She is forced to end their relationship so that she can find someone to meet her needs without stringing him along. Her second relationship with he who will not be named in this review fulfills her newly discovered needs and Lana begins to plan long-term. But when a truly unexpected twist is revealed – one that had me yelling WTF? at my Kindle – Lana finds her world turned upside down and she is left once again struggling to find her way in the world.

As I stated before, Lana’s Awakening is an extremely intense read that is not for the faint of heart. Lana’s experience is horrific, made even more so by the fact that it was inspired by real events. The consensual sex scenes are dark, graphic, and erotic and the nonconsensual sex scenes left me crossing my legs, cringing, and thanking the universe it wasn’t me on the receiving end of them. I found the transformations that Lana and some of the other characters undergo absolutely fascinating. But I had a huge problem with the speed with which Daniel was released from prison; I get that this is a work of fiction but that the reader is expected to accept that the events transpired in the course of a single day requires a tad too much suspension of belief on my part because the criminal justice system does not work that fast. Despite that minor issue, I appreciated the opportunity to accompany Lana on her journey and I found the ending of the book unbelievable satisfying.

I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
Reviewed by Angela at Crystal's Many Reviewers!

Check out the Lana's Awakening Tour Stop! blog post on Crystal's Many Reviewers.


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Second Debt by Pepper Winters

Second Debt by Pepper Winters

My rating: 5 of 5 stars



NOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!! Curse word! Curse Word! CURSE WORD!!! Even knowing that Second Debt ended on a cliffhanger was not enough to prepare me for the way in which events unfolded. Honestly, I don’t even know what to say about this book except that I am in awe of the fact that Ms. Winters is able to one-up herself with each installment. The story just keeps getting better as we have the unveiling of macabre history of the Weavers and Hawks intertwined with the developing relationship between Nila and Jethro.

While much occurs before the second debt is extracted, I can’t really talk about it as this series builds with each respective book and makes the discussion of specific facts ripe for revealing spoilers. That said, I found myself both fascinated and horrified by the revelation of what act the Weavers inflicted upon the Hawks that led to the development of the Second Debt. Honestly I can understand why the first and even the second generation of Hawks demanded the debts. The need for vengeance would be ripe, possibly even enough for the third generation to still demand it. But I found Bonnie Hawks’s actions toward Nila disturbing – believable, as I suspect that madness truly does run through the family – but disturbing nonetheless. As for the act that is undertaken to extract the second debt, Ms. Winters you scare me with how realistic your writing is. I felt like I was right there with Nila, suffering the same fate as the previous Weaver women right along with her. I blame you for disturbing my dreams tonight because I know it’s coming,

I am reluctant to call Nila and Jethro’s story a romance because it’s not. There is no romance between Nila and Jethro – their family history and situation doesn’t allow for it, forbids it actually. But it is a love story. While we have seen hints of it in the previous books, Second Debt proves to be pivotal in the shaping of their relationship. The physical aspect of their relationship definitely intensified and if there were ever a case of pregnancy by Kindle, this is it. Nila never stood a chance against Jethro. But seriously, their sexual chemistry is the bonus because their souls are so entwined and it quickly seems to becoming a case of them against the world. I cannot wait for the Third Debt to find out what happens next and to find out if my suspicion about Jethro’s “disease” is correct.

I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
Reviewed by Angela at Crystal's Many Reviewers!

Check out the Second Debt Tour Stop! blog post on Crystal's Many Reviewers.


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