Blowback by Lyn Gala

Blowback by Lyn Gala

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


I’ve mainly read Gala’s M/M sci-fi romances, with Turbulence being the only M/F romance of hers that I’ve read prior to Blowback. So I was excited to read this book. In fact, I was anticipating reading it so much that I waited until the review was due to read it because I wanted it to last as long as possible because once I finished it, I had no idea how long I would have to wait for another of Gala’s sci-fi romances. I am both kicking my own metaphorical arse for not enjoying Blowback sooner, while at the same time, basking in the afterglow of a story that was so worth the wait that the anticipation was worth it.

This is not your typical romance and not because there are aliens involved. The animosity and distrust Tom has for Da’shay is so strong, you feel it through the pages. When a mission goes bad and a “concerned” party approaches Tom with information about Da’shay that reinforces his ill-feelings toward her, he does the wrong thing for the right reason and ends up having to choose between charges of treason or death. Once he makes peace with his choice, Da’shay steps in and prevents his death, leaving Tom bewildered as he’s made no secret of his feelings toward her. After a series of events ends up with Tom being relegated to slave status with Da’shay claiming ownership of him, Tom’s dislike ratchets up to hate as he tries to figure out whether to kill Da’shay or himself. But when Tom is forced to listen to Da’shay and really hear what it is she is trying to say, his opinion of her takes a 180 and the woman he would have taken pleasure in killing, is now the woman he wants to make happy. But with war looming and Tom, Da’shay and the crew of the Kratos finding themselves smack dab in the middle of it and a possible conspiracy, can Tom trust his newfound faith in Da’shay and his need to protect her outside of the ship, while submitting to her in the bedroom?

I loved this book. Not to spoil the story, but due to a procedure that was performed on Da’shay, her pattern of speech is not normal – not even for a genta. The way she talks in riddles reminded me of the Firefly character, River Tam. As Firefly was one of my favorite television shows, I loved how Da’shay’s character was reminiscent of River – although as the book was written before the television show was aired, it should be the other way around, but I “knew” River first. Once I learned to speak Da’shay’s language, it was much easier to understand what she was trying to communicate. Even though Tom was basically forced to listen to Da’shay, I liked that once she finally got through to him, he was willing to reassess the situation and his feelings toward her changed – for the better. I’m sure that the fact the sex between the two of them was scorchingly hot did not hurt his position one bit. I’m not big on the whole submissive male storyline, but I loved it in Blowback and felt like Gala did an excellent job of balancing Tom’s alpha male tendencies outside of the bedroom, with his willingness to submit to Da’shay inside the bedroom. Blowback was an excellent sci-fi romance with just the right amount of action, intrigue, and erotica that kept me glued to my Kindle.

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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Forbidden Secrets by Liberty Lace

Forbidden Secrets by Liberty Lace

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


I’m a bit torn on how to review this novella. There are parts of it that I enjoyed and parts of it that annoyed me. Having read the book’s blurb, I knew that this was an M/M twincest book, so obviously that aspect of the storyline wasn’t an issue. I actually enjoyed the relationship dynamic between Tristan and Thad – both the glimpses into their past as teens who couldn’t get along and their current arrangement which forced them to either live together for a year or lose their family home. That’s not even taking into account the taboo aspect of their relationship as the story progresses – which I am not ashamed to admit was hotter than I expected it to be.

However, what annoyed me was WHERE the taboo liaison occurred once Tristan and Thad were on the same page. While I did not grow up in the Louisiana bayous, I did grow up in the Florida Panhandle – literally right next to a swamp that had a gator or two (or more depending upon the water levels in the river) and on more than one occasion did a 180 to walk right back into the house because there was a gator sunning at the end of the road. With that in mind, I found the scene in which the gator attacked to be annoying because it’s not characteristic behavior of the reptile. Yet I gave the author leeway for artistic license as the scene was written with a very effective suspenseful air to it and I suspect a lot of readers won’t find fault with the scene because they didn’t grow up “aware” of gators in the same way. BUT, and that’s a big but, the idea that the twins would then flee to safety, away from the water, only to embark upon their twincest relationship while still in the swamp was a bit too much for me to swallow. No. Just no. You don’t have sex in the swamp immediately after surviving a gator attack, especially out in the open where ANYONE can walk up on you…having sex with your twin brother. Heck, you don’t have sex in the swamp, period – snakes, bugs, turtles, spiders, and other creepy crawlies make it one of the most unattractive places to have sex I can imagine, especially on the ground. Granted, the sex scene is hot, but I just couldn’t get past the location, especially as they could very easily have finished walking home and gotten down to business in a much safer environment.

Despite that, the rest of Forbidden Secrets was well-written and I enjoyed it. Lace does a nice job of giving enough background that you can feel the tension in the relationship between the twins in the beginning, and then unfolds the story in such a way that the shift in their feelings and attitudes toward each other is believable. That’s not to say that I believe twincest is a commonly occurring phenomenon in our society, but rather that I began this novella expecting it to occur and found the way in which the author took Tristan and Thad from estranged siblings to bed partners believable. As this is the first installment in the series, the question becomes – will I read the next book in the series? Honestly I don’t know. With Forbidden Secrets being my first twincest read, I don’t know how it compares to others in the genre. While I’m not dying to read the sequel, I did enjoy the writing style and would be interested in seeing where the author takes the guys as long as my schedule allows.

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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For Real by Alexis Hall

For Real by Alexis Hall

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


I really, really, really enjoyed For Real. At 19, Toby is the perfect combination of teenage angst and assured dominance. At 37, Laurie is a wonderful bundle of maturity, whose relationship insecurities get the better of him from time to time. When Laurie's insecurities emerge, he comes off a bit cold and much younger than his age, but not in the sense that the author lost track of who the character was. And once you learn more about his previous relationship and the reason behind its demise, Laurie’s insecurities make a world of sense. After all, he and Robert grew into adulthood and BDSM together and losing his anchor stunted Laurie in some ways. While at first glance, the characters of For Real shouldn’t work together, they do and do so beautifully.

I absolutely adored Toby. Despite his young age, he knew that he needed more than his previous sexual partners offered. While he may not have been as articulate as an experienced dom, his passionate rant when Laurie tried to send him on his way at the club was mesmerizing – I totally got why Laurie dropped to his knees. That his passion didn't translate into arrogance made Toby’s initial scene with Laurie so believable and sexy as heck. I enjoyed watching Toby grow into his dominance, becoming surer of himself and of Laurie as they spent time together, even if Laurie was a bit of a wanker that first night. That the author tempered Toby's character with behaviors that were age-appropriate outside of their scenes is what made his character so believable. Toby's authenticity made it easy to understand how Laurie fell under his spell, so to say. I also understood why he had reservations about Toby due to their age difference because as a medical professional, Laure would be expected to maintain a higher moral standard and dating someone young enough to be your child is usually frowned upon – unless you're Hugh Hefner. But the age difference was also an easy excuse that allowed Laurie to avoid dealing with his breakup with Robert. As for Robert, I swear I was so angry with that man when Laurie revealed the details about the demise of their relationship because Laurie was not only injured physically, but also emotionally and Robert's insecurities stunted Laurie far more than he and his friends realized. But this is what made Laurie feel so real and made his back and forth introspection feel right rather than petulant.

I do recommend keeping tissues handy while reading as there is a major scene that nearly ripped my heart out and had me sobbing loudly on Toby's behalf. There were also a couple of other scenes that left me teary-eyed and I do enjoy a good cry while reading. And For Real not only gave me tears, but also laughs, swoon-worthy moments, plenty of scenes to squirm during, and a serious hankering for lemon meringue pie. Hall didn't make Toby and Laurie's journey an easy one, nor did I feel as though their trials were manufactured just to lengthen the book. Everything felt real. I loved how For Real ended and can only hope that the author will give us more Toby and Laurie in the future as this is just the beginning of their relationship and I would love to see how it develops as Toby matures and comes into his role as a dom and sadist. This was a definite 5-star read for me and I will be checking out more of Hall’s 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 For Real (Spires Universe) by Alexis Hall blog post on Crystal's Many Reviewers.


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Boots and the Rogue by Myla Jackson

Boots and the Rogue by Myla Jackson

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Having reviewed Boots and the Bachelor a few months back, I was excited for the chance to read Boots and the Rogue. It had been a couple of years since I had read any books in the Ugly Stick Saloon and I just happened upon the series again at the start of the McFarlan brothers being lovingly blackmailed by their mother to settle down and start a family – otherwise she was going to sell the ranch. After watching Angus reconnect with a woman from his past and fall in love, I was excited to read about the next brother, especially once I realized that it was the prodigal son’s story.

After receiving a call from his brother, Brody McFarlan rushes home in fear that his mother is dying. While he is relieved to learn that his mother is fine, he learns that the reason why Colin lied to him to get him back to the Rafter M Ranch is almost as dire. Dumbfounded doesn’t even begin to cover Brody’s reaction when he finds out that his mother plans to sell the ranch unless her sons demonstrate that they are indeed interested in their heritage by establishing a long-term relationship. Although he has no intention of getting involved with a woman, Brody plans to spend his time at the ranch convincing his mother to let go of her foolish notion so that he can return to Seattle and his brothers can continue to work the ranch. But when he meets Jessie at the Ugly Stick Saloon’s barbecue, he finds that leaving Temptation, Texas isn’t as high on his list of priorities as it was. Unfortunately, past betrayals make it harder for him to admit what he wants – Jessie and Texas.

Boots and the Rogue was a heck of a lotta fun to read. Jackson combines just the right amount of story and sex to keep the book entertaining in oh so many ways. I was stunned by the details of what led to Brody leaving home and cutting ties with his brother, Colin, years earlier. That said, I’m looking forward to reading Boots and the Heartbreaker next because I suspect I will learn even more about that situation. The passion between Brody and Jessie is all consuming and this leads to several intense scenes – one of which was interrupted in time to keep it from becoming public. I really liked Angus’s reaction to his brother’s talent when he happened upon him painting because I believe it’s what enabled Brody to come clean to his mother and Colin and begin entertaining the idea of a future with Jessie in Temptation. I thought the ending was perfect for Jessie and Brody and I’m now off to read the next book in the series so I can see Colin get his happy ending. As Mrs. McFarlan said, “Two down. One to go.”

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 Ugly Stick Saloon Spotlight blog post on Crystal's Many Reviewers.


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Boots and the Heartbreaker by Myla Jackson

Boots and the Heartbreaker by Myla Jackson

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


And another one bites the dust! The third and youngest of the McFarlan brothers finds his happy ending in Boots and the Heartbreaker, but not before he nearly mucks it up so badly even I wasn’t sure he was going to be able to fix it. With only three weeks before their mother’s deadline, Colin finds himself reconnecting with the last woman he should – his brother’s ex-fiancée and the reason for their estrangement … Fancy Wilson. While both Colin and Fancy resolve to avoid one another so as not to repeat their past mistake, all it takes is them being alone in the same room together and all bets are off … as well as their clothes!

The attraction between Fancy and Colin is magnetic. When they’re in one another’s orbit and there are no buffers around them, they cannot keep their hands off one another. Seriously HAWT!!! So hot in fact that I can’t help but wonder how they managed to keep their hands off one another as long as they did when they were hormonal teenagers – engagement be danged. Jackson does reveal more about that incident and that enabled me to “forgive” Fancy and Colin for their behavior and made it easier to understand why Brody would be able to forgive Colin and encourage him to pursue Fancy – that Brody and Jessie are doing so well doesn’t hurt either. Under the guise of working one another out of their system, Colin sets out to make Fancy his because now that she’s back in town, he realizes why none of the women he’s been with in the past eight years came to mean anything – they weren’t Fancy. The more time they spend together, the less able Fancy is to resist Colin. Until he lets his suspicions about her uncle courting his mother get the best of him and he makes one humdinger of an accusation that not only crushes Fancy, but also brings an end to his mother’s newfound relationship as both Fancy and her uncle prepare to leave Temptation, Texas once and for all.

Boots and the Heartbreaker was a great way to spend a couple of hours, especially on the heels of Boots and the Rogue. Colin has an uncanny ability to put his foot in his mouth and does so repeatedly. While most times it is amusing, it can also be quite damaging to his relationships. I really liked seeing the signs of reconciliation between Colin and Brody as this trio of brothers were clearly meant to be close. But the ending. Oh that ending was awesome. Reminiscent of an old soap opera, Colin attempts to undo the damage he has wreaked and having to face his mother, while having Fancy banging down the door, as declarations of love, marriage proposals, and ultimatums were bandied about all in a matter of minutes – I kept waiting for the “DUN-DUN-DUUUUN!!!” music to play. It really should have felt like an over-the-top scene and yet it was perfect for the madhouse that Colin’s actions had created and Jackson played it perfectly. I thoroughly enjoyed Boots and the Heartbreaker and I really hope that Dusty finds love soon because that man is too nice to continue being a wingman for the women in his life.

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 Ugly Stick Saloon Spotlight blog post on Crystal's Many Reviewers.


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Biker for the Night by C.J. Fallowfield

Biker for the Night by C.J. Fallowfield

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


I really do enjoy this series, and not just because Logan Steele is sex-on-a-stick and a wild man in the sack. No, with each installment I get to see Logan grow as a character, and I will admit that when I picked up the first installment, Strangers for the Night, I wasn’t expecting a tenth of the storyline that Fallowfield has imparted in each book. While Biker for the Night takes place a week after the events in Sophisticated for the Night, a lot has happened in that time.

Or, more accurately, a lot hasn’t happened in that time because…she didn’t call. So Logan has decided to throw himself into his work in hopes of “working” Summer out of his system. What better way than to be the ultimate bad boy? Eve is a lady – no, I mean that seriously, she’s an honest to goodness Lady – and she’s hired Logan to make her bad boy biker fantasy come true because even though she has an actual bad boy biker interested in her, she knows there’s no way her parents will ever approve. If you’ve made it this far into the series, you will not be surprised that the sex scenes are hot as sin, but they will still surprise you in the end because Logan isn’t a one-trick pony. Seriously, this is a man that could probably talk most women into an orgasm. So the hotness factor has not diminished.

What did surprise me about this installment was how much Logan’s personal life entered the evening. He actually “shared” some of his feelings with Eve even if he wasn’t specific about the parties involved. I liked getting to see Logan open up just a bit to someone else, especially as that someone else was in a similar situation of not being able to have the one person they really wanted. I was not, however, surprised by the events of the following morning because despite his outward appearance, Logan is a softie. The phone call at the end of the book has me wanting to read Dominant for the Night now, not only because I want to see how that face-to-face conversation plays out, but also because I…want…to…know…Logan’s…real…name!

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 Biker for the Night (For the Night #6) by C.J. Fallowfield blog post on Crystal's Many Reviewers.


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Twofer by Daisy Harris

Twofer by Daisy Harris

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Twofer ended up (no pun intended) being a much sweeter read than I expected. As we’re dealing with two college freshmen, one of whom was new to sex, I was expecting the obligatory angst, a butt load of sex (still, no pun intended), and just a little bit of romance. Harris does angst well as Frankie sets out to help his roommate, Jeremy, navigate the perils of dating and sex. Fortunately, the author does not go over-the-top with the angst as Frankie finds himself getting far more attached to Jeremy than he expected. After all, how can a relationship ever work between two bottoms with no interest in topping?

I really liked both Frankie and Jeremy, and that there was a true friendship between them that served as the basis for their story. Their friendship makes it easy to understand why Frankie is willing to get Jeremy in the dating scene, even more so once we learn that Frankie finds Jeremy attractive even while admitting to himself that a relationship between them could never work because he believes them to be completely sexually incompatible. Frankie’s willingness to go the extra mile for his friend makes for some seriously sexy scenes as he provides some hands-on instruction. While Frankie’s lessons are clear, his signals are mixed, and this leaves Jeremy questioning what they are to one another more than once. But as the lessons progress and their relationship changes, Frankie makes a last-ditch suggestion for a threesome in hopes that he can discover a way to keep Jeremy and get their needs met sexually without destroying their fledgling relationship.

Jeremy’s “dates” were a mix of hilarious and creepy. I caught myself laughing at his misery more than once when dealing with the latest dating app disaster. The threesomes were their own brand of misery and I began to question Frankie’s decision to keep trying them. I was surprised at how clueless Frankie was regarding Stephan. For a guy whose hit-it-and-quit-it routine demands that he be able to pick up on others’ signals, he was surprisingly obtuse when it came to Stephan’s feelings for him. Matt and Bruce turned out to be a pleasant surprise and I was so happy that friendship worked out as well as it did. I loved how supportive Frankie’s family was of him and Jeremy. But it was watching the awkwardness that was Frankie and Jeremy as their relationship changed over the course of the novel that was my favorite part of the book. I was pleased that Harris didn’t make their relationship easy and that their age and experience or lack thereof was obvious in their approach to one another. There was just the right amount of angst for their age and situation that made it believable for me, which also translated into some sweet and rather heartfelt moments between the guys. I thoroughly enjoyed Twofer and hope this is not the last we’ve seen of Frankie and Jeremy.

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 Twofer by Daisy Harris blog post by Crystal's Many Reviewers.


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Broncs & Bullies by Bailey Bradford

Broncs & Bullies by Bailey Bradford

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Because Broncs & Bullies is Duke and Frankie’s story and both played significant roles in Jody’s story, there is a bit of overlap in the timeline with this book and Riding & Regrets, but don’t fret because the author doesn’t recycle scenes. This book gives us a look at what Frankie was dealing with immediately after he broke up with Jody and we finally find out about his “dates” post-Jody. We also get more of a look into the events surrounding Duke’s concussion, or more accurately, what happened afterwards. But rest assured, Bradford managed to rip my heart out and ground into the dirt as per usual in this installment in the Mossy Glenn Ranch series. Thankfully, she put it all back together again by the final page too.

I really, really liked getting to know Frankie in this installment. Like most of the ranch hands, I thought what Frankie did by dumping Jody was a pretty crappy thing to do, but his continued presence in Jody’s life as a friend and him helping out with Prissy made it clear to me that there was more going on with Frankie than him being the shallow jerk the break-up made him appear to be. Once we got to see inside Frankie’s head and his reasons behind the break-up, I understood where he was coming from and I was relieved to know that he wasn’t as shallow as he seemed. That said, I was glad that Duke forced his way into Frankie’s life because the kid wasn’t as deserving of his self-recriminations as he thought. And Duke, being the man he was, set out to prove to Frankie that the kid was deserving of love. Once Frankie stopped using their age difference as an excuse, he and Duke were off-the-charts hot together. The inherent level of trust they found in one another – something neither had ever experienced before – allowed them to let go of their worries and just “be” in the moment … and there were some pretty freaking hot moments too. But even more important was how well they connected in their everyday interactions and it was Duke’s ability to be patient that enabled him to break down Frankie’s walls until Frankie realized AND admitted that Duke was exactly who he wanted to spend the rest of his life with.

Because of their developing relationship, Duke and Frankie both found the support they needed to deal with people from their past. Frankie not only had to deal with a creep from his recent past when one of the guys he was with after Jody tried to blackmail him to continue a sexually abusive relationship, but he also had to deal with his mother and stepfather. His bosses helped him deal with the creep, while it was Duke that accompanied him back home to visit his family so he could see his little sister. It’s not often that I want to beat the crap out of a fictional character, but what Frankie found when he went back home had my heartbreaking at the same time I was seething with anger. His mother is a despicable human being and it saddens me to know that there’s likely more than one woman in the world that has done something similar to their child. While Duke and I would not have blamed Frankie one bit for being unable to continue their trip, Frankie insisted that they continue on to see Duke’s brother and despite the brevity of their reunion, I cannot wait to see how that sibling relationship will be reestablished. Bradford has penned another excellent addition to the Mossy Glenn Ranch series and I cannot wait to squeeze Hay & Heartbreak into my schedule as soon as possible.

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 Broncs and Bullies (Mossy Glenn Ranch #6) by Bailey Bradford blog post on Crystal’s Many Reviewers.


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Hot Pink Passion by M.L. Montgomery

Hot Pink Passion by M.L. Montgomery

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Hot Pink Passion is the third novella featuring Kurt and McKayla – which I have unofficially dubbed the Hot Pink series. I read a book a day, so to be able to pick up a novella and remember a couple’s story when months have passed since reading the last installment is the sign of a dang good series for me. Granted, McKayla and Kurt’s escapades in the first book, Hot Pink Condom, threw me for such a loop that they’re a hard couple to forget and the storyline in Hot Pink Passion has merely cemented their spot in my memory.

Kurt and McKayla have one of the longest lasting long-distance relationships I’ve ever encountered in a series. But Kurt wants more. He wants a permanent spot in McKayla’s life and vice versa, but McKayla is happy with their relationship as it is and doesn’t want to rock the boat because she knows that will only lead to it sinking. In her world, LOVE is a dirty word that she can’t say, choosing to show Kurt how she feels about him through her actions. But Kurt needs more. He needs to hear McKayla say “I love you” and her refusal to utter those three words is driving a wedge between them. After a fight that had Kurt leaving McKayla home alone so he could figure things out and a failed attempt to get her best friend to see why she was right and Kurt was being unreasonable, McKayla heads out for some retail therapy. On her way home she finds herself in the wrong place at the wrong time, being thrown into the back of van – bound and gagged, and not in the way she liked to be. But McKayla’s worst nightmare brings her the clarity of mind she needed to see that she was being the unreasonable one, resolving to tell Kurt she loved him if she made it out of the situation alive.

Like the previous books in the series, there was a twist to Hot Pink Passion. Because these books can be read as standalones, new readers won’t see it coming whereas Kurt and McKayla fans probably will. I figured out the twist, but not because it was predictable. Rather it was well within character for them and the series, and I would have been shocked had it not turned out as I expected. While McKayla’s kidnapping was all kinds of frightening, it forced her to realize who and what was important in her life. That there was something good to come out of the situation was a nice touch by the author and made the McKayla’s abduction palatable. As always, Kurt and McKayla’s bedroom time was off-the-charts steamy. But it was the ending of Hot Pink Passion that had me swooning. I enjoyed the heck out of this installment and can only hope that the author will write more about this couple now that life has given McKayla the metaphorical spanking she needed.

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 Hot Pink Passion by M.L. Montgomery blog post on Crystal's Many Reviewers.


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Burned Deep by Calista Fox

Burned Deep by Calista Fox

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Burned Deep was a sexy as sin romantic suspense novel that kept me glued to my Kindle as I read it from start to finish in one sitting. What boggles my mind is that I initially passed on this novel while trying to keep my review schedule light during the holidays, but when the boss lady asked for help filling in, I figured it was meant to be. And I was so right because I thoroughly enjoyed it. Fox combines a whole lotta sex with a good amount of danger and intrigue, far more than you would expect a wedding planner to find herself dealing with, yet it worked for me on several levels.

Ari is an up and coming wedding planner whose reputation for detail and discretion has landed her a society wedding that seems doomed thanks to missing groomsmen (and the groom) and an approaching monsoon. While Ari can’t control the weather, she does have some sway over the groom and his groomsmen and after a rather intense encounter in the venue’s bar, she manages to pull the wedding off without a hitch. But the incident in the bar brings her to the attention of Dane Bax, a businessman who is in the midst of launching an exclusive resort that Ari has applied for a position at. While it’s not a big stretch of the imagination to know that Ari will be hired on at 10,000 Lux and that she and Dane will begin seeing one another, what did surprise me was that it was Ari who insisted on their non-work relationship remaining strictly sexual while Dane was pushing for more. But Dane was not above using his sexual prowess – of which he had a LOT, boy howdy – to try and convince Ari that they could have more. Because I don’t want to spoil the read for anyone about the romantic suspense angle in the novel, I won’t go into specifics except to say that the incidents proved to be rather thrilling in how they escalated over the course of the book. That said, I really liked that there was more than one plausible suspect and it wasn’t clear (at least not to me) who was actually responsible until the reveal.

I really liked Ari’s character and I think I connected with her so well because she reminds me of a very close friend. Like Ari, my friend’s parents went through a rough patch and there was a lot of yelling, screaming and door slamming, which resulted in complete relationship avoidance for years. Because I saw so much of my friend in Ari, I recognized many of her behaviors as realistic responses to conflict and love. As for Ari’s parents, I loved her father’s character and that they had such a good relationship. Her mother, on the other hand, was despicable and an example of narcissism in the extreme. Dane’s character surprised me because he was far more accommodating to Ari than I usually see in the dominant alpha male billionaire. That’s not to say he wouldn’t do all that he could to convince her to do as he asked, but he seemed to understand when to relent on certain issues. While I really enjoyed the ending, I was surprised by the epilogue because Kyle’s final statement would suggest a sequel when there’s nothing to indicate that this is a series and Burned Deep seems complete as is. I suppose I’ll have to wait and see.

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 Burned Deep by Calista Fox blog post on Crystal's Many Reviewers.


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Riding & Regrets by Bailey Bradford

Riding & Regrets by Bailey Bradford

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Riding & Regrets was a heartbreaker of a novel for me. I found myself wanting to cry for Prissy’s early years and being shuffled around by a mother who wasn’t prepared to be one. This, of course, made me want to bawl when Jody’s love for his daughter grew exponentially considering how little time passed from her sudden arrival in his life to the beautiful ceremony in the epilogue – yet another event that left teary-eyed. Also heart wrenching was Noel’s past and what he endured at the hands of a man who was supposed to love him. While there were plenty of tears to go around in this installment, they were both sad tears and happy tears and I found the overriding theme of the book to be extremely hopeful despite the heartbreak both men endured before finding their happiness.

I was excited to read this book after the way the ending of Fences & Freedom mentioned Jody’s previously unknown child showing up unexpectedly. It wasn’t the idea of a gay man having a child that caught my attention, but rather that the child’s existence was unknown AND unexpected. Granted the unknown wasn’t a total surprise because that kind of thing happens regularly, but the unexpected had my interest peaked and as the story played out I understood why Jody was so thrown by the appearance of his child – he didn’t remember having sex with the mother, or any woman for that matter. Fortunately, the child looked so much like him that he never disputed that he was Prissy’s father and he threw himself fully into being the best father he could be for his little girl. While his bosses and the other hands at the ranch were far more supportive than he ever could have hoped for, Jody understood that he was going to have to put Prissy in daycare while he worked at the ranch. Enter Noel, the nephew of the daycare’s owner, Ashville’s newest temporary (maybe) resident, and the man who may just save Jody from becoming an old fuddy-duddy.

While the attraction between the two men was obvious, Bradford didn’t allow the men to hook-up immediately. The author actually keeps their early interactions true to form for a new parent by Jody being so busy that days and days pass between conversations, dates, and taking it further with Noel. I loved this. Yes, Jody is only twenty, but he’s a new father working full-time who is now a single parent as well. It stands to reason that he would be too tired to go trolling for dates as well as having no time for them either. But when Noel finally makes his move on Jody, oh my goodness was it hot! I enjoyed the symmetry between Noel’s inability to forget the horrors of his nightmare relationship and Jody’s inability to remember the events of the night he conceived Prissy. It enabled them to provide a level of comfort and understanding to one another that I think helped cement their relationship. Watching Jody and Noel fall in love and build their family was a wonderful experience, which was topped off by getting to see Jody threaten Noel’s tormentor and Noel face down his tormentor. And I must say that I loved how that whole scenario played out. Watching the entire ranch fall in love with Prissy was so sweet too. I’m looking forward to reading Broncs & Bullies soon because I’m dying to see what’s up with Duke and Frankie.

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 Riding and Regrets (Mossy Glenn Ranch #5) by Bailey Bradford blog post on Crystal’s Many Reviewers.


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Christmas With the Billionaire Rancher by Mandy Baxter

Christmas With the Billionaire Rancher by Mandy Baxter

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Whew! I forgot how hot Baxter’s Billionaire’s Club novellas could be. I made the mistake of starting Christmas with the Billionaire Rancher at work and had to stop reading it because it was getting too hot for reading in public. The attraction between Nate and Chloe was immediate and palpable and I for one could not fault Chloe one bit for accompanying Nate to his hotel room the night they met. Goodness gracious the man had me turned on and I would have been calling Chloe names had she not gone upstairs that night. That their one-night stand was not enough, causing Nate to contact Chloe so they could spend time together not only added to my squirming, but also to my enjoyment of watching their relationship develop … and explode.

While Baxter can certainly write steamy scenes, she does so within the flow of the story and despite Christmas with the Billionaire Rancher being a novella, there is plenty of story to be found. Chloe approaches Nate at his father’s memorial service in order to solicit a sizable donation for her foundation. Even though she cringes at the thought of crashing a memorial service to beg for money, her foundation is on the verge of closing its doors and leaving the local at-risk youth without much needed services meant to keep them out of trouble. Although there isn’t much Chloe won’t do to help the kids she works with, she draws the line at mixing business with pleasure, so when she crosses the line with Nate he is no longer a viable option for funding. This integrity on Chloe’s part made her so very easy to like even if I could see how her actions were going to come back and bite her in the rear. And boy did they! Once we learn exactly what led to Nate’s estrangement from his father, his reaction to Chloe’s actions made sense – but they didn’t excuse just how hateful and nasty he was during their fight. I was glad to see that Chloe didn’t cave just because he apologized because what he said was not something that could be wiped away with a simple “I’m sorry.” Of course, Baxter provides the expected happy ending for Nate and Chloe, but the journey to get there is what makes Christmas with the Billionaire Rancher so much fun to read. Having met Nate’s brothers in this installment, I’m looking forward to the next book in the series because both men should be fun to read about.

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 Christmas With the Billionaire Rancher by Mandy Baxter blog post on Crystal's Many Reviewers.


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Lick Me by Janet R. Berg

Lick Me by Janet R. Berg

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


Lick Me was an odd read that left me a bit confused on how to review it. The book itself is well-written and I enjoyed how the author took Maggie (and the reader) through different parts of Australia and Bali. Several of the scenes were described so well that I could imagine actually being there. I suppose you could say that Maggie’s story is told in two parts and this is perhaps where I have difficulty in my review.

In the first part of the book, Maggie has moved in with her mother in order to take care of her due to her declining health. While the opening of the first chapter confused me at first because it felt as though I was reading stage instructions, once I realized that it was being told from someone else’s perspective I settled right into Maggie’s tale. The author does a nice job of presenting the story through Maggie’s memories, musings, and observations, as well as emails between Maggie and her brother, Andy. Living with her mother and hanging out with her mother’s friends often sends Maggie into her own imagination and the woman has some seriously steamy daydreams. When she and her mother move into a smaller house, Maggie begins to feel as though she’s being watched and her suspicions are confirmed in the most startling of ways the first time she brings a man home with her. Thus begins her sexual relationship with Bert, a man who died in the house decades earlier. This part of the book actually threw me for a big loop because there was nothing in the blurb indicating that there were paranormal elements in the book. And while the scenes were undoubtedly erotic, more than once Maggie had thoughts that would send me off laughing – my favorite being how she questioned how the ghost’s fingers could be so long. Seriously? You’re having sex with a ghost and your concern is the length of his fingers. I will admit that I found Maggie’s easy acceptance of a spectral lover surprising, especially when in an email with her brother she states that they never believed in such things before. But the woman was enjoying her orgasms and Bert was providing them in abundance. This part of Maggie’s story was actually a good chunk of the book and I must confess that I found the way in which she moved on from Bert to be a bit too neat and rather anticlimactic considering the events that led up to their separation.

Maggie’s time post-Bert was a mixed bag of sexual explorations, the first of which had me shaking my head as to why? I really didn’t understand why Maggie would seek out William after running into Tim again – a man she purports to be the one who got away and that she’d like to see if there was something there to pursue since they’re both single. And considering that she had just shook off Bert, William made even less sense to me. I suppose this is the part of the book that was meant to fulfill the erotic sexual journey, but it just felt out of place considering what Maggie had been through and where she seemed to be headed. As for the rekindling of her relationship with Tim, I don’t even know what to say about that. All was well and sweet in the land of Tim and Maggie, until it wasn’t – and it really, really wasn’t. And now for my soapbox moment. At the very end of the book Maggie makes plans to get tested and hopes to be STD and HIV free. Until that moment I had given her the benefit of the doubt and assumed that the author didn’t write condom usage into the later sex scenes (because she didn’t need them with Bert) so as not to ruin the flow of the story. This is not uncommon in erotica. But when Maggie worried that she may have been exposed to an STD, I was perturbed. By my estimates she was in her late 40s or early 50s. She was not a child. She has grown children who have had their own children. She should have known better and that line really, really ticked me off. Stepping down from the soapbox. Lick Me was an enjoyable read with a whole lot of steamy erotic scenes and just enough story thrown in to let me connect with Maggie. It was an entertaining way to spend a couple of hours, even if I had to suspend belief more than I expected to when I began the book. Oh! By the way, American readers – fanny does not mean the same thing in Australia as it does in the US.

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 Lick Me by Janet R. Berg blog post on Crystal’s Many Reviewers.


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Fences & Freedom by Bailey Bradford

Fences & Freedom by Bailey Bradford

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Finally!!! I finally know how old Barney is. Yes, that elusive tidbit of info has been annoying me because when he “distracted” Will after Troy’s attack in Chaps & Hope he seemed as though he was close to their age. Yet when Salt talked about him in Saddles & Memories I got the impression he was younger than I first surmised. As it turns out, Barney is only twenty but as we learn more about him in Fences & Freedom, I understood my confusion because Barney’s past meant he had to grow up fast and assume adult responsibilities sooner than he should have when his father died. No, Barney wasn’t abused or anything like that. Well not in the sense we tend to think of because he was ridiculed by his peers for being poor and it was his mother’s financial woes that resulted in him growing up fast as he began doing what he could (legally) to bring in money to help his mom pay the bills. Yep, Barney is a keeper and it just so turns out that Ramsey, the Mossy Glenn’s least-liked hand, may just be the one to keep him.

As we find out in Fences & Freedom, Salt had every reason to be wary of Ramsey because he was not who he purported to be. But as the book unfolds and we learn who Ramsey really is, why he’s at the Mossy Glenn Ranch, and the reason behind it, I found myself sympathetic to his plight – especially after seeing how his father treated him. But of course, this is after I was annoyed with him for trying to stake his claim on the “new guy” when Barney started on at the Mossy Glenn. However, my annoyance was short-lived when I realized that Barney had taken a shine to Ramsey and the “hunter” soon became the “hunted” with practically no one being aware of it because nearly everyone underestimates Barney. While Barney is most definitely sweet and comes off as naïve due to his age and inexperience, he’s accustomed to working hard for what he wants and being patient as he works to obtain it. Because of this, he does a fine job of indulging his curiosities about sex, breaking down Ramsey’s defenses, and making Ramsey his without being used by Ramsey or going all the way before he was ready. Barney’s inexperience is easily outweighed by his enthusiasm and this makes for some really steamy scenes that left me chuckling at times.

I really enjoyed watching Barney break down Ramsey’s walls simply by being himself. Barney is a good kid with a good heart and while Ramsey set out to scratch his itch with the dumb young thing, he soon found that he not only underestimated Barney’s intelligence, but also what being around Barney’s inherent goodness would do to him. Barney made Ramsey want to be a better man – a man deserving of someone as good as Barney. This is what made his conscience rear its ugly head and led him to try to make things right. While most underestimated Barney’s intelligence, few underestimated his goodness and it was his willingness to stand with Ramsey that made Carlos, Troy, and Will give Ramsey the second chance he needed. Fences & Freedom is yet another enjoyable addition to the Mossy Glenn Ranch series and I’m glad I still have more of them to read.

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 Fences and Freedom (Mossy Glenn Ranch #4) by Bailey Bradford blog post on Crystal’s Many Reviewers.


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Saddles & Memories by Bailey Bradford

Saddles & Memories by Bailey Bradford

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Truth be told, I wasn’t the least bit sure of what to expect from this installment in the Mossy Glenn Ranch series. While we’ve seen Salt around quite a bit in the previous books due to him being one of the first hires, I hadn’t really formed a strong opinion of him. Yes, I liked that he was protective of Drake when Ian first showed up, even if it was misguided, but other than that he’s been a bit of a mystery. In Saddles & Memories we learn far more about the weathered cowboy than I expected and the man’s layers are far deeper than he likes to let on, especially his sensitive side.

As an older cowboy, Salt is quite relieved to have found his place at the Mossy Glenn Ranch. Having spent most of his life in the closet, the sense of peace he feels for being accepted for who he is rather than being judged for his homosexuality is welcomed. Like his bosses, he doesn’t make a big deal of his sexual orientation when in town, but it’s no longer a secret that the Mossy Glenn tends to hire from the LGBT community. It’s because this is becoming common knowledge that Andy Calder takes a chance on approaching the cowboy while in town trying to make news sales contacts for his company’s organic feed line. Long since resigned to a life of one-night stands, Salt is ready, willing, and able to show Andy just how well this old cowboy can ride. And their night together is hot, so hot in fact that the men break their personal rules and agree to a repeat performance, well several repeat performances. As they spend more and more time together, they both begin to want for more than their current arrangement but neither is willing to say anything in fear of scaring the other man off. Just as things begin to get serious, Andy gets a call about a family emergency that sends his life spinning out of control and Salt proves to be the stabilizing force in his life he didn’t realize he needed. But with all the changes facing Andy in his personal life, the two men have to decide if what they have is strong enough to endure the storm.

I loved Saddles & Memories! Watching Salt and Andy cruise each other in the feed store was both amusing for a southern girl and hot to watch. The attraction between the two men was intense and I found myself caught up in their passion when they were able to act upon it. Seriously squirm inducing cowboy lovin’ going on in this installment. As their relationship progressed from just sexual to more, it was sweet to watch the two men fall in love – not because it was sappy, but because both men had faced obstacles in their past that left me feeling as though they were perfect for each other. I really, really liked how Salt not only accepted Ty as a package deal with Andy, but that he embraced and cherished the chance to have the family he never expected to have as a gay cowboy. Gotta love a man who’s not afraid of his emotions. Saddles & Memories is only the third book in the series, but each book is better than the last. I can’t wait to start Fences & Freedom to find out whether or not Salt’s concerns about Ramsey are justified.

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 Saddles and Memories (Mossy Glenn Ranch #3) by Bailey Bradford blog post on Crystal’s Many Reviewers.


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Retrograde by Bailey Bradford

Retrograde by Bailey Bradford

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


It’s no secret that I love the Southwestern Shifters series and loved that I got to gorge myself on the series in August. So you won’t be shocked to learn that I was beyond thrilled when I found out about Retrograde’s release and I nearly went through the roof when I discovered that Bradford had written it as another chapter in Marcus and Nathan’s life. I love all of the couples in the series and each has a special place in my heart, but with all the Nathan has dealt with as Marcus was under attack from more than one quarter, it felt right for them to get another installment in the series and Bradford managed to make me love this couple even more than I already did.

Because of assassination attempts and challenges for Marcus’s position, Nathan has been on edge for a while and having to kill another individual (even one who was bad) in order to save Marcus’s life makes that edge even finer. It’s not that Nathan regrets saving Marcus’s life or even that he killed to do so, but rather that he was forced to take another’s life. Having been raised by a human, Nathan still finds the easy acceptance of violence among shifters too much to bear at times. Sensing that his mate needs to get away and realizing that they need a chance to reinforce their bond before an upcoming conference of the Alpha Anaxes, Marcus makes arrangements for a short getaway for just the two of them. Having the chance to let their wolves run free in a safe environment that’s not fenced in, to spend time alone with just the two of them, and to connect sexually on a more primal level does wonders for both men. Yet even on vacation they can’t seem to get away from the needs of other wolves when they discover a wild pack of young shifters who know nothing about the shifter society. Thank goodness Marcus and Nathan know of a wolf who loves to take in strays – Gabe. But when demands of Marcus’s position require that they return to the compound, they are once again faced with treachery when another plot to take out an AA is discovered. For once, Marcus wasn’t the target but because it was being attempted in his home it affected him no less. Thankfully Marcus has a pack filled with loyal and intelligent shifters who were able to help thwart yet another assassination attempt and strengthen ties with other honorable AAs.

Retrograde was another excellent addition to the Southwestern Shifters series. I loved watching Nathan and Marcus get back to nature so to speak and embrace their wolf so fully. It was obvious it did them good mentally, but it also made for some smoking hot sex scenes. They were lucky they didn’t start a forest fire with as hot as they got. I liked that Bradford made another AA the target in this novel and that for once Marcus didn’t have the bullseye on his back. I found his handling of the territory situation to be very telling of the kind of man Marcus is – a good man who only wants what’s best for all shifters. I loved meeting Lexxie and hope to see more of her in the future and learning more about her heritage. That Bradford foreshadowed the changes that are coming for Marcus and his pack made me so freaking happy because that means more books are in the future. But the end. Oh my word was the end sweet. I mean… We’ve got puppies!

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 Retrograde (Southwestern Shifters #11) by Bailey Bradford blog post on Crystal’s Many Reviewers.


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Ropes & Dreams by Bailey Bradford

Ropes & Dreams by Bailey Bradford

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


I was quite excited when I learned that Ropes & Dreams was Drake’s story as he managed to worm his way into my heart in Chaps & Hopes. Considering the news he got at the end of that book, I was curious to see how Bradford would have him find his match. As it turned out, the author handled a tough subject with sensitivity and a strong, informed dose of reality that made me admire her writing even more. In addition to Drake’s romance, fans are also treated to a bit of intrigue and suspense as an arsonist appears on the scene.

Toward the end of the previous book, Drake received a call from his ex-boyfriend telling him that Rigo had tested positive for HIV. Obviously Drake was devastated by this news and continued to worry about his status even after the first negative results knowing that it could still be too soon for a positive result on a test. Considering his history of poor choices in men, Drake swears off men deciding that he’d rather be safe and alone than with someone and abused. But Officer Ian McCain soon has him rethinking his new vow, because despite the man’s cold eyes and stoic personality, Drake finds himself attracted to the man. Once Drake finds out that the attraction runs both ways, he knows he has to reveal his possible HIV exposure and is surprised when it doesn’t send Ian running. It was Ian’s initial reaction to the news and the way in which the men embarked upon a SAFE sexual relationship that left me admiring Bradford’s writing even more. Rather than treating Drake as a diseased and unlovable being (as his ex was attempting to do), Ian shares his personal history with an HIV+ individual and not only explains to Drake that a sexual relationship isn’t off the table, but proceeds to show him that he is not only lovable and touchable, but also deserving of love. I really liked how Bradford used Drake and Ian’s relationship as an opportunity to educate readers within the context of the story, keeping to the flow of the storyline and avoiding the “soapbox” feel that can too easily occur. If the sex scenes weren’t hot enough, the added BDSM elements ratcheted the eroticism up as Drake learned even more about himself under Ian’s guiding hand.

There was actually more than one romantic suspense angle in Ropes & Dreams. The main one involving the arsonist certainly shocked me as I was not only surprised by the arsonist’s identity but also the way in which his arrest scene played out. Bloody heck that scared me! The minor suspense elements involving Drake’s ex and Ian’s stepbrother not only helped to explain why both men behaved the way they did, but they both served as plausible suspects for the arsonist, and this kept me guessing as to who it was. Watching Drake and Ian fall in love and in bed, the BDSM elements, the sensitivity regarding the subject of HIV, the romantic suspense angles, and catching up with Carlos, Troy, and Will made Ropes & Dreams a thoroughly enjoyable read for me and secured it a spot on my reread shelf. I’m ready for Saddles & Memories.

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 Ropes and Dreams (Mossy Glenn Ranch #2) by Bailey Bradford blog post on Crystal’s Many Reviewers.


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Chaps & Hope by Bailey Bradford

Chaps & Hope by Bailey Bradford

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Although I haven’t read Bradford’s Love in Xxchange series in which Carlos, Troy, and Will met, I wasn’t all that worried about being lost as my experience when reading this author is that the books within a series stand well on their own and when needed, the pertinent information is shared. Chaps & Hope reaffirmed my faith in the author’s ability to write books that are related to others without you having to read all of the prior ones in a series (or the series it spun off of). That said, as a fan of Bradford’s work I do hope to go back at some point to read the Love in Xxchange series as I can only imagine just how hot it is.

Being as it was made clear in the blurb that Carlos, Troy, and Will were already in a well-established ménage relationship, I was only mildly surprised with just how quickly the author opted to show the reader why their relationship has been successful. Boy howdy! These are some seriously hot cowboys that have no qualms about letting one another know how much they love each other and just how much they are attracted to one another. And there is a LOT of horse saving going on in Chaps & Hope and I loved it! But all that cowboy lovin’ doesn’t take away from the fact that the guys are there to resuscitate the Mossy Glenn Ranch and due to the nature of their relationship they decide to make it a safe haven of sorts for the LGBT community. While they don’t hide their relationship, the guys also don’t go out of their way to publicize it when in town – but the bigots always seem to know and the guys find the ranch being targeted by vandalism. When Troy is attacked by a local business owner, the guys find out that their community is far more supportive than a few bigots made it seem.

I really enjoyed Chaps & Hope. Despite the fact that Carlos, Troy, and Will had met and fallen in love in Where There’s a Will, Bradford showed the continued development of their relationship. Not having read the previous book didn’t prevent me from seeing how their relationship continued to progress as there was still obvious baggage from their pasts that was addressed in this novel. With this being the first book in the Mossy Glenn Ranch series, the author does spend some time laying the foundation for the series through the everyday tasks of repairing the ranch, hiring staff, interacting with townsfolk, dealing with the vandalism, and each man finding his place on the ranch. I loved Drake and cannot wait to read his own book (at least I’m assuming he gets his own). I will admit that I was surprised when the identity of the vandal came out and my heart actually broke for the guy; I really hope that we see more of him in the series. I also enjoyed how the townsfolk rallied around the guys after Troy’s attack and I’m looking forward to seeing how that bodes for the ranch’s future. Chaps & Hope was an enjoyable read and I’m ready for Ropes & Dreams – which I just peeked and saw is Drake’s story. YAY!

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 Chaps and Hope (Mossy Glenn Ranch #1) by Bailey Bradford blog post on Crystal's Many Reviewers.


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Edge of the Enforcer by Cherise Sinclair

Edge of the Enforcer by Cherise Sinclair

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


There is nothing like finally reading a book that you bought and never got around to reading when it first came out. It’s an awesome feeling. It’s an even better feeling when it’s a Sinclair novel. Truth be told, I’m kind of baffled that I hadn’t made time to read it yet, but Edge of the Enforcer was well worth the wait – even if I didn’t know what I was missing.

Having met both Lindsey and deVries in previous books, I loved getting to learn more about them. I was shocked by the opening scene because I had no inkling about deVries’s extracurricular activities. But the scene was vital in making me understand his mindset in how he played and why he rebuffed Lindsey’s attentions – it didn’t excuse the unnecessarily harsh way he did it, but at least I understood it. It also made his collection of her debt from the Masterson’s picnic believable. And freaking hot as heck. However his freeze out the next day nearly gave me (and Lindsey) whiplash and once Sinclair gave the reader access to deVries’s thoughts, I was shocked by just how judgmental the dom could be. Yikes! Talk about frostbite. Thank goodness the Xavier and Simon don’t limit their meddling to just the subs and deVries got the kick in the pants he needed. And just in time as Lindsey’s past catches up with her and she finds herself in a life and death situation that doesn’t look good at all.

I must say that I’m not sure whose character surprised me more – Lindsey and her secrets OR that deVries, Dark Haven’s resident sadist and enforcer, had such a soft side to him. I’m not suggesting he was a pushover for Lindsey. Oh far from it. But when things got tough, his instincts and desires were in sync when it came to protecting the little submissive who showed him that life with a pain-intolerant sub might be a worthwhile venture after all. As for Lindsey, her secrets threw me for a loop. I was astounded by the predicament she found herself in and even more so that she managed to keep a lid on it considering who she worked with. It certainly added far more suspense and action to the novel than I expected and I loved how it gave us the chance to catch up with so many of the characters from the previous books in the series. But I cannot believe it took them so long to figure out how to have a relationship and still give deVries the outlet he needed for has sadism. At least they were both equally shortsighted when it came to identifying that solution. Regardless, I absolutely loved Edge of the Enforcer and am ready to sink my teeth into Master of Freedom in a few days.

I reviewed my personal copy of this book.
Reviewed by Angela at Crystal's Many Reviewers!

Check out the #WhipIt: Edge of the Enforcer blog post on Crystal's Many Reviewers.


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The Lies Between Us by M.N. Forgy

The Lies Between Us by M.N. Forgy

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


I was ecstatic when the review opportunity for The Lies Between Us came up. I have enjoyed how Ms. Forgy weaves romance with the action and danger that accompanies a one-percenter motorcycle club. That said, I really had a hard time getting into this one. I suspect part of that was on me because even though I have been anxiously awaiting The Lies Between Us to pop up on my schedule, I was dealing with a headache when I started the book and found a lot of the interactions between Cherry and Lip to be annoying – actually I found the characters themselves to be annoying. Based on my past enjoyment, I stuck with it though because Ms. Forgy has proven her skill time and time again, but once I hit the mid-point and wasn’t any less annoyed with Cherry and Lip (you can stop smirking now), I knew I had to step back for the night and try again the next day.

While I’m happy to report that the level of action in the second half of the book increased immensely and made the read more enjoyable for me, I never connected with Cherry or Lip. Considering what we knew about Lindsay (aka Cherry) at the time, I was astounded with how quickly things progressed between her and Lip. Not the one-night stand because uh … yeah, hello? I totally got the whole bad boy biker thing. Rather my issue is that within a week’s time she’s moved into his home and he’s bought her a car, yet her concern is that they might have had sex too soon. This is a woman whose father physically abused her, who got knocked up on her first time, had her baby legally “stolen” from her by its father simply because he could, and who’s homeless because someone’s trying to kill her so she can’t go home to her brother. Girlfriend is seriously lacking in the self-preservation instinct department. But hey, she’s still really young so I forgave her for her hormone driven behaviors, even if she seemed on a direct course for a repeat of the past. While I found Lip’s head-over-heels courtship of Cherry to be uncharacteristic of the men we’ve come to know from the Devil’s Dust MC, I tried to go with the flow. Honest, I really, really did and thankfully it paid off when it came to Lip because once he gets out of prison we find out why he was so smitten with Cherry. THAT was shocking. But Lip wasn’t the only one with a secret and The Lies Between Us delved into what was the breaking point of their relationship – when is your trust shattered irrevocably?

Despite the spike in action, I still never connected with Cherry. I think had the author shown us some of what Cherry did on behalf of the club during the six years that Lip was in prison, I would have had a better understanding of her character and been able to connect with her – yes, we were told some of what she did but a sentence here or there really doesn’t make the same impact. As it were, I sympathized with her plight to get her daughter back and figure out whether or not she had a future with Lip, but I just wasn’t as invested as much as I have for the past heroines. I did enjoy the twist that Lip’s brother introduced and I look forward to seeing how that story thread unravels. The ending the author crafted for the couple was perfect for them and it as well as the action is what saved the book for me. Although The Lies Between Us is not my favorite of the series, I am looking forward to the next book and spending more time with the Devil’s Dust MC.

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