Category Archives: Read by Vicki

My Angel (Bewitched and Bewildered # 9)

By Alanea Alder

Synopsis

Vivian Mercy has been running from the past for so long she doesn’t know any other way of life. When a panicked call comes from one of her only friends she finds herself returning to the city of her nightmares where her dedication as a doctor and resolve to help others is put to the test.

Etain Vi’Aerlin has been watching over Noctem Falls for centuries. Sent by his queen he became a silent sentinel in the shadows helping Magnus whenever he could. While the sickness around him claims more lives he discovers what it feels like to be helpless, as an ancient warrior he doesn’t have the skills to fight this unseen enemy.

At any other time finding a mate would be cause for celebration, but Etain wants Vivian as far from Noctem Falls as possible, unfortunately, as the only doctor with an intimate knowledge of diseases she has to stay in the city, and finds herself working tirelessly to discover a cure in the middle of the deadly chaos sweeping the levels.

As Vivian’s past is revealed she finds herself not only combating the terrible virus but also the rebellious faction of the Founding Families. Etain vows to stand by her, even if it means abandoning the post assigned by his queen.

It’s a race against time to unravel the lethal secrets the virus is hiding before the city itself is lost forever.

Review

MY ANGEL is the ninth book in the Bewitched and Bewildered series and was another very enjoyable read. The story continues on from MY DEFENDER and follows the mating of Etain (fae) and Vivian (vampire), and we’re still in Noctem Falls.

Quite a lot happened in this book, all of which was really exciting. I apologize if the below is spoilerish, but it was all so interesting that I can’t help but write it all down.
1 – The mysterious sickness plaguing the shifter children has now started affecting adult shifters and vampires, including Prince Magnus.
2 – The group is concerned at discovering that over 50% of the Vanguard units are unaccounted for.
3 – Two Royal families previously believed to have been extinct are reinstated in front of all the Noble and Founding family heads. Those two families align with the other two Royal families, giving Prince Magnus more support against those who seek to seize power and control of Noctem Falls.
4 – In that same scene, it was demanded that Gavriel prove he was royalty. Not only did he prove it, but he also revealed that he is over ten thousand years old and is also known as the Dark Prince from their history and legends. Without a doubt, this was my favorite scene.

In regards to the two main characters of this story, there’s not much I can say about Etain because apart from being Vivian’s mate and having a close connection to the Fae Queen, there’s really nothing else to him. Vivian stands out more because she was pivotal in quite a few scenes throughout the story.

I’m still having a lot of trouble keeping track of all the characters we’ve been introduced to so far, and the number of characters increases by at least two with every new book. It’s gotten to a point where if I’m struggling to remember who a character is, I stop trying and just continue on with the story, otherwise it does my head in. This does take away some of the enjoyment from the story, but the mystery of what is going on around them keeps me coming back for more, so I’ll just have to deal with it.

MY ANGEL is told in dual POVs, with the epilogue being told in Micah’s POV as he’ll get the next book. While each book is about a different couple, the books in this series cannot be read as a stand-alone and must be read in order.

My Angel (Bewitched and Bewildered # 9)

My Rating:

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Bewitched & Bewildered Series

Hot as Puck (Bad Motherpuckers # 1)

By Lili Valente

Synopsis

The NHL’s biggest bad boy is about to fall for the virgin next door…

I am the world’s biggest dating failure. We’re talking my last date went home with our waitress kind of failure.

But I have an ace in the back pocket of my mom jeans–my sexy-as-sin best friend, NHL superstar forward, Justin Cruise.

Justin owes me favors dating back to seventh grade, long before he became a hotshot with a world famous…stick. So in return for my undying platonic loyalty, all I want is an easy-peasy crash course on how to be a sex goddess.

How hard can it be?

***

I have never been so hard in my life.

The things I want to do to my sweet, kindergarten-teaching, mitten-crocheting best friend Libby Collins are ten different kinds of wrong. Maybe twenty.

But I’m a firm believer in teaching by example, and by the end of our first lesson, we’ve graduated to a hands on approach to her education: my hands all over her, her hands all over me, and her hot mouth melting beneath mine as I prove to her there isn’t a damned thing wrong with the way she kisses.

Give me a month, and I’ll transform Libby from wall flower to wall banger, and ensure she’s confident enough to seduce any guy she wants.

Problem is… the only guy I want her seducing is me.

Review

One of my favorite authors said that HOT AS PUCK was one of the best hockey romances she’s read, so with that glowing endorsement I thought I’d be in for a good and enjoyable read. Sadly, I struggled with this book from beginning to end, unable to get into the characters or their story.

I didn’t feel any connection between Justin and Libby at all, who suddenly go from a decade long friendship, to friends with benefits, to being madly in love in the span of about a week. I couldn’t get over the fact that Justin was suddenly attracted to Libby just because she wore tight and revealing clothing one night, which made him shallow in my opinion. It was the same with Libby, who was suddenly attracted to Justin just because he touched her that same night; something I’m sure he would have done many, many times over the course of their very close friendship.

HOT AS PUCK is listed on Amazon as being a romantic comedy, but I don’t remember finding any part of this story funny or chuckle worthy. Apart from some make out sessions, some sex and some knitting/crocheting, not much else happens in this book. The conflict was a little on the weak side, and while I found the resolution to be somewhat cute, it was also a little cheesy.

HOT AS PUCK is told in dual POVs and comes with a HEA for Justin and Libby. While this story didn’t do much for me, I would give this author another go.

Hot as Puck (Bad Motherpuckers # 1)

My Rating:

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Bad Motherpuckers Series

#Starstruck (#Lovestruck # 1)

By Sariah Wilson

Synopsis

“You’ve done better.”

With one uncharacteristically sassy tweet to her longtime celebrity crush, Zoe Miller’s life turns upside down. Ultrahot A-lister Chase Covington doesn’t just respond to Zoe’s tweet, he does the unthinkable: he messages Zoe directly. Now she must decide between walking away or meeting her crush in person.

Chase knows better than to trust anyone from the Internet, but Zoe’s saucy challenge has totally caught his interest—and her girl-next-door personality is keeping it. He’s been burned enough to know he needs to keep his heart close. But his feelings for Zoe might be a lot more than just an online flirtation. He just has to convince her…

When the press gets wind of Zoe and Chase’s secret relationship, their romance turns into tabloid headlines. Will they be able to hold on to their Hollywood love story?

Review

#STARSTRUCK has been on my radar since it was released at the beginning of the year, and I finally had the time to give this book a go. At the time, I wasn’t feeling too well and I really just wanted something that was sweet and easy to read. #STARSTRUCK fit the bill perfectly and it did not disappoint.

“It’s weird, especially because we don’t know each other that well yet, and I know this sounds bizarre, but it’s like . . . I want to protect you. I’ve never felt that way about a girl before.”

I really liked this book. I liked the story, the buildup, the flow, the conflict, the apology and finally, the HEA. I liked Chase and Zoe, who were both honest with each other about their expectations and their life choices. Though I have to say that Zoe did annoy me a little with her insecurities.

From memory, #STARSTRUCK is told only in Zoe’s POV. It is part of a series, but going by the next book’s blurb, it sounds like each book within the series can be read as a stand-alone.

#Starstruck (#Lovestruck # 1)

My Rating:

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#Lovestruck Series

A is for Alpha (Homefront: The Sheridans # 4)

By Kate Aster

Synopsis

Who put the “O” in Aloha?

Yeah, that’s me. Camden Sheridan.
A guy who will bring you to “O” faster than you can text it.
Former Army Ranger with the standard issue 8-pack.
And now, a bartender who’ll get you safely back to your hotel after too many margaritas… and you won’t want me to leave.
Believe me, you won’t.

I live life by my rules in my bachelor pad paradise here on the Big Island of Hawaii.
Until a Ranger brother needs me to take care of his little girl while he deploys.
A four-year-old cockblock in pigtails.
My sex life comes to a screeching halt.
Then the babysitter shows up.

Annie.
Smart, principled, good with kids. All the things I don’t look for in a woman.
I want her anyway.
Annie’s got a fortress of secrets surrounding her. But I’ll break it down and claim her as mine.

If this kid will just take a nap.

Review

So I thought FAKING IT would be the last book in the Homefront: The Sheridans series, but it turns out I was wrong. In A IS FOR ALHPA, we meet three of the Sheridans’ cousins: Camden, Fenway and Dodger. Yes, their parents named them after baseball stadiums. Sick of being known as the “other” Sheridans, they moved to the Big Island to get away from the rich and successful side of their family.

A IS FOR ALPHA was an easy and average read for me. Both Camden and Annie are likable characters, but there isn’t anything about them that stands out. The same could be said for the story, because even though it’s only been a few days since I read it, I’m struggling to remember what happened. What I remember most is how often Annie alluded to something that happened to her on the mainland. Something so bad it forced her into hiding on the Big Island. I remember it because I was already annoyed by the repeated teasing at the 35% mark, before the incident was finally revealed at the 60% mark.

A IS FOR ALPHA is told in dual POVs, comes with a sweet HEA for Camden and Annie, and while it is part of a series, it can be read as a stand-alone. Will Fenway and Dodger get their own stories? I’m not sure. Would I read them? Yeah, I think I would.

A is for Alpha (Homefront: The Sheridans # 4)

My Rating:

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Homefront: The Sheridans Series

Atticus: A Woman’s Journey with the World’s Worst Behaved Dog

By Sawyer Bennett

Synopsis

A heart-warming and deliciously funny story about the world’s worst behaved dog and how he trained his human how to love herself again.

Through the haze of vodka and self-loathing, Hazel Roundtree saw the poor creature lying in a ditch.

One brown eye. One blue.
Covered in mud and crying from pain, the puppy was desperately trying to free itself from a hopeless situation.

She almost kept walking by. She had her own problems and besides… no one had ever stopped to help her.

Who we’re ultimately meant to be is a journey without end, but there’s always a defined start…

Hazel had no idea the dog would be her beginning, her second chance, the miracle she never saw coming. She named him Atticus. He grew up to be a very bad–and completely awesome–dog. He took Hazel on a life-changing journey filled with mischievous adventure and painful heartbreak. In the end, Hazel grew up to be completely awesome, too.

Review

Wow!
Seriously…just WOW!
Beautiful.
Emotional.
Heartwarming.
Gratifying.
An absolute must read.

ATTICUS is a story about love, friendship and forgiveness, but is it a love story? I’d say yes, but not in the way you might be expecting. Told in the POV of Hazel and Atticus, it’s about the unconditional love that forms between a dog and his human. It’s about Hazel learning to love herself and that she is someone worthy of being loved. There is a sliver of romance towards the end, but romance is not the focus of this story, and the story is beyond amazing without it.

I want to say so much more about ATTICUS, but I’m really struggling with words because I feel as though no matter what I say, I just can’t do this book justice. So I will simply say this:

I could not put this book down.
I laughed.
I cried.
I was deeply moved.
This is the best book I have read this year, and I strongly recommend you read it.

Atticus: A Woman’s Journey with the World’s Worst Behaved Dog

My Rating:

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Knocked Up (Crazy Love # 2)

By Stacey Lynn

Synopsis

First comes love. Then comes marriage. Then comes baby in a baby carriage. Just not necessarily in that order. . . .

Braxton: I should probably be dead or in jail right now. Instead, thanks to some tough love, I worked my ass off and now I own a string of tattoo parlors throughout the Pacific Northwest. And yet the one thing I’ve always wanted—a family—still seems out of reach. When my best friend gets married, I’m just hoping to blow off some steam with the super-hot maid of honor. But after Cara Thompson tracks me down to tell me she’s pregnant, she’s more surprised than I am when I tell her I’m all in.

Cara: For the first time in my life, I’m living for myself—not for my parents and their ridiculous expectations. I gave up on my MBA, dropped out of the Ivy League, and moved to Portland to pursue my dream of becoming an artist. And what’s the first thing I do? Get knocked up. For a tatted-up sex god, Braxton Henley seems way too eager to “be there for me.” Is this guy serious? Maybe. He sure is patient. Because he won’t back down until I admit what I know in my heart: that our one night stand might’ve led me to the one.

Review

If you’re looking for a sweet and easy read, one that flows well and has just the right amount tension, then KNOCKED UP is for you. It has an enjoyable story, likable and honest main characters, a believable conflict, a sweet resolution and finally, a HEA for Braxton and Cara.

However, I do feel it’s important to point out that the man on the cover looks nothing like Braxton should, who is described as having tattoos that cover his entire torso and arms, from his neck to his knuckles. It’s probably something the author can’t control, but the couple on the cover should look somewhat similar to how they’re described on the inside.

KNOCKED UP is told in dual POVs and while it is part of a series, it can be read as a stand-alone. From memory, this is an entirely new set of characters that are in no way connected to the first book.

Knocked Up (Crazy Love # 2)

My Rating:

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Crazy Love Series

My Defender (Bewitched and Bewildered # 8)

By Alanea Alder

Synopsis

When a mysterious illness begins to sweep through Noctem Falls affecting the children, Eleanor Kimball is called to the city to see if she can determine what is wrong. As a pediatrician Eleanor loves children and desires many of her own, however, after several dating disasters she has not only sworn off men, but has given up her dream of a family, and the promise of a destined mate.

After discovering Grant in Noctem Falls she is faced with her own insecurities and finds it hard to believe in his love.

Grant Douglas is a man of few words and doesn’t do well surrounded by others. He is scared to death of finding a mate. He believes the harshness of his past, where he struggled to survive, didn’t cultivate a gentle heart. After a series of terrifying nightmares where his mate is at risk, Grant has decided he doesn’t want a mate at all.

When he meets Ellie, he realizes there are some things worth fighting for. Even if it means putting himself out there by becoming the Alpha he was born to be and facing the power he desperately tries to hide.

As Ellie starts to believe in Grant’s love it will take every ounce their combined strength to discover why the shifter children are suddenly falling ill before it’s too late.

Review

MY DEFENDER is the eighth book in the Bewitched and Bewildered series and was another enjoyable read. The story continues on from MY CHAMPION and follows the mating of Grant (wolf shifter) and Ellie (elephant shifter), and we’re still in Noctem Falls.

As I’ve said in my reviews of the last couple of books, the romance and relationship side of the story is lacking, but that doesn’t really bother me anymore. Instead, I choose to focus on everything else that is going on in this paranormal world that connects these books together.

I don’t remember much about Ellie, other than she’s a really sweet, caring and loving woman. I don’t even remember Grant from the previous two books, even though he’s one of the top Unit Warriors at Noctem Falls, and I assume readers have met before. But while I might not have remembered him at the start, I don’t think I’ll be forgetting about him any time soon. From how he comforts children, to hearing about everything he went through between the ages of twenty and fifty, you can’t help but admire his strength, his compassion and his ability to adapt and survive.

MY DEFENDER is told in dual POVs, with the epilogue being told in Etain’s POV as he’ll get the next book. While each book is about a different couple, the books in this series cannot be read as a stand-alone and must be read in order.

My Defender (Bewitched and Bewildered # 8)

My Rating:

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Bewitched & Bewildered Series

Bought by the Boss

By Stacey Kennedy

Synopsis

HIS PRICE
I’ve wanted Aria Finley from the moment I met her.
We flirt, we laugh, we connect. It could be perfect.
She’s even best friends with my assistant.
Problem is, she works for my archnemesis—Jackson Keller—and she’s the kind of girl who stays loyal unless you give her a reason not to.
Besides my hard-on there’s something hot between us, and I won’t rest until I put my finger on it.
So when I get the chance to buy Aria for the weekend at a charity auction, there’s no limit.
I’m going to take her home and take what I want because I’ll make her want it too.
And by Monday, she’ll know she’s mine.

DIRTY MONEY
Liam Maxwell thinks he can get to me through my assistant.
Well, two can play that game.
Now Mallory Beckett—Liam’s assistant—is mine for the weekend.
Only she has no idea who bought her at the charity auction.
This is going to be worth every penny.
But soon I realize that Mallory has been waiting for my touch all along.
What starts as a fling turns into something more.
From the beginning, I was so focused on stealing her away.
I never thought about the fact that I’d drown if I lost her.
Now the game has changed. And she needs to know that she belongs to me.

Review

BOUGHT BY THE BOSS is made up of two novellas: His Price (Liam and Aria) and Dirty Money (Jackson and Mallory). Once upon a time, Liam and Jackson were best friends and college roommates, but the actions of one destroyed their friendship. Several years later, they’re both very successful corporate lawyers who hate each other with a passion and are always trying to one-up the other. Their rivalry comes to a head when they each bid on the other’s assistant at a charity auction.

Being novellas, both stories are very short, with lots of sex and not a great deal of character development. Despite all the parties knowing each other for at least two years, each story is an insta-love. Both stories are told in dual POVs and while the ending was a little abrupt, it does come with a HEA for both couples.

BOUGHT BY THE BOSS was a good way to spend a couple of hours, but I am glad I got this on sale. I almost never comment on the price of a book, and I know that the author has no say in the sale price, but I do think $4.99 for two novellas totaling less than 200 pages is a bit much.

Bought by the Boss

My Rating:

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Speakeasy (True North # 5)

By Sarina Bowen

Synopsis

Sometimes you fall for Mr. Right. And sometimes for Mr. Right Now…

May

Did you hear the one about the girl who walks into a bar and catches her live-in lover kissing someone else? No? You’re the only one in town who missed it.
Luckily Alec is there to wrap me up in strong arms and carry me out the door before things get too ugly. And that’s not all Alec is good at. Our unexpected chemistry makes him the perfect rebound guy.

Alec

I should know better than to hook up with my rival’s little sister, but the fiery look in May’s eyes really turns my crank. She needs cheering up, and I’m just the guy for the job.
It’s not like I’ll fall in love. Not even after a string of scorching hot trysts, and the realization that we’re good at the same things: wild nights and familial disappointment. I don’t do love, never have, never will. So this is the perfect arrangement, for both of us.

Nobody would approve, but nobody has to know…

Review

SPEAKEASY is the fifth book in the True North series, and I’m sorry to say it was my least enjoyable read from this series.

I liked Alec, who was fun to be around and who treated May like she hung the moon. I liked May, who battled her alcoholic demons every day, and while the struggle at times was immense, she won that battle every day too. I think Sarina did a great job of getting her readers inside the mind of a recovering alcoholic. Not only did I like them as individuals, I liked them as a couple as well. I also liked that we got to see how three of the previous four couples were doing in their lives and how their relationships were progressing.

While I liked the characters and their story, there were two things I wasn’t a fan of. I didn’t like the lesbian fantasy scenes that I felt Alec pushed May into talking about, which he did so purely to satisfy his own sexual curiosity. I also didn’t like how down on themselves Alec and May were throughout the story. I got to a point where I just could not handle their “I’m not good enough” thoughts anymore.

SPEAKEASY is told in dual POVs and comes with a HEA for Alec and May. While it’s part of a series, it can be read as a stand-alone. As per Goodreads, there will be at least one more book in the True North series, but at the time of writing this review, book 6 is currently untitled, makes no mention of a release date and doesn’t mention who it’s about. I’m thinking it might be about one of Alec’s brothers.

Speakeasy (True North # 5)

My Rating:

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True North Series

I Flipping Love You (Shacking Up # 3)

By Helena Hunting

Synopsis

Rian Sutter doesn’t usually get hit on in the grocery store, but when she notices a sexy man in a suit checking her out, she thinks maybe it’s her lucky day. Either that or the suit has a thing for sweaty, yoga-pant wearing women with excellent price matching skills.

Turns out it’s neither.

Pierce Whitfield can’t believe his luck when he’s able to track down the woman who scratched up the paint job on his car at the scene of the crime. But when he confronts the hit and run hottie, he discovers there’s not just one, but two of them, and he’s been throwing accusations at the wrong twin.

As repair costs are negotiated, and the chemistry between them flares, Rian and Pierce find out they have more than mutual attraction in common. They’re both vying for the same pieces of prime real estate in The Hamptons and neither one plans to give up without a fight.

Can these passionate rivals turn up the heat on their budding romance—without burning down the house?

Review

When a book has me laughing out loud on page three, I know I’m in for a good read…and I FLIPPING LOVE YOU did not disappoint.

My tank is still dewy, post-exertion, I have terrible under-boob sweat, and my thong is all wonky. If I were alone in this aisle, I’d for sure fix the last issue, but suit guy is here so I must leave the thong where it is for now, wedged uncomfortably between my vagina lips.

I LOVED PIERCE. Absolutely loved him. I loved his confidence and his sense of humor, and he’s probably the best book boyfriend I’ve read in a while. I liked Rian too, but Pierce was definitely the standout character in my opinion. My favorite scene was right at the beginning, where Pierce and Rian first meet in the grocery store, because it was fiery, feisty, exciting and a whole lot of fun. Coming a close second were all the scenes where Pierce was flirting with Rian and trying to win her over with his charm. Oh, and the epilogue. The epilogue was really good too.

“You think it’s sexy that I can do math in my head?”
“Yes. You’re gorgeous, outspoken, and intelligent. It’s a hard-on-inducing trifecta.”

There were a couple of minor things that bothered me throughout the story, like a few repetitive thoughts and scenes, and time jumps that were not identified by breaks within the chapters, which affected the flow of the story at times. But as I said, these were minor and didn’t affect my overall enjoyment of the story.

I FLIPPING LOVE YOU is told in dual POVs and while it’s part of a series—and characters from the previous book do make an appearance or two—it can be read as a stand-alone as it comes with a HEA for Pierce and Rian.