Tag Archives: ARC

Beast

By S C Daiko

Synopsis

I’ve been sold by my own father to a Beast.

Gleb Sokolov is the definition of a savage.
He’s an animal in bed and everywhere else.
A notorious Russian mobster, badass personified.

And my father just sold me to him, to pay off a debt.

But there’s something Gleb doesn’t know… we have a son,
and I’ll do anything to keep him from finding out.

Eva Petrenko
Sassy, secretive, trouble with a capital T.
She drives me damned insane.
Except, when her father offers her to me, I find I can’t resist.
She belongs with me, even if she refuses to believe it.
Eva hates me, but I’ll go to the ends of the earth to protect her.
Problem is, Eva’s father isn’t the only one with debts
and mine are the kind I’ll need to pay with my own blood.

Review

Beast is a fast-paced and highly enjoyable romantic suspense centered around the Russian mafia.

Gleb and Eva have great chemistry and once I began I could not put this down. Their attraction to each other is instant and Gleb is very alpha. His protective instincts over Eva and her family is romantic. The age difference between Gleb and Eva made the speed of his need to secure Eva in his life believable to me.

The suspense story follows Gleb and Eva and provides many moments when Gleb is protective yet passionate. I also enjoyed how Eva stands up to herself with Gleb.

This was a surprising read, enjoyable and ended way to fast for me.

Beast

My Rating:

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Dirty Headlines

By L J Shen

Synopsis

Célian Laurent.
Manhattan royalty.
Notorious playboy.
Heir to a media empire.
…And my new boss.
I could have impressed him, if not for last month’s unforgettable one-night stand.
I left it with more than orgasms and a pleasant memory—namely, his wallet.
Now he’s staring me down like I’m the dirt under his Italian loafers, and I’m supposed to take it.
But the thing about being Judith “Jude” Humphry is I have nothing to lose.
Brooklyn girl.
Infamously quirky.
Heir to a stack of medical bills and a tattered couch.
When he looks at me from across the room, I see the glint in his eyes, and that makes us rivals.
He knows it.
So do I.
Every day in the newsroom is a battle.
Every night in his bed, war.
But it’s my heart at stake, and I fear I’ll be raising the white flag.

Review

Jude was a beautiful character, she was vulnerable yet fierce. Her relationship with her dad and the ability to make friends was lovely. Her journey in the newsroom simply made her shine, she was a good person fighting her way through hardship but making the most of life.

Celian goes through a multitude of changes as a man. This was one of my favourite parts of this story and the way he follows Jude’s colourful chuck selections. You can be forgiven for hating him at the beginning but by the end, he becomes a warrior. Celian becomes courageous and the man for Jude. He is unashamedly stubborn and arrogant but to his inner circle, he is alpha and protective.

Dirty Headlines has an epic chapter for me being chapter 20. It had that moment when I had lumps in my throat and could not breathe. When I turned those pages, my heart breaking for Celian and yet yelling “Go Jude”!, don’t settle for anything less than you deserve.

Dirty Headlines has a perfect closure and you are left with a heart full of hope and happiness. I now have another standalone story by this author I will be reading again and again.

Dirty Headlines

My Rating:

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Bishop (Arizona Vengeance #1)

By Sawyer Bennett

Synopsis

Bishop Scott, co-captain. Not too shabby, huh? It’s all part of my fresh start with the NHL’s latest expansion team, and that means new teammates, a new coach, a new city, and a big new contract. Basically, I cannot f***ing wait to show my old squad what they’re missing.

But first, I decide to check out the town before the grind begins. Turns out Arizona chicks are totally smokin’, and I’m fortunate enough to meet one who’s looking for the same thing I am: a night of anonymous, unforgettable, no-strings-attached sex.

Fast forward to the Vengeance arena. It’s the last place I expect to see her again—let alone in her own office. Then bells go off and I finally realize who this girl is: Brooke Perron. My new coach’s daughter. All of a sudden, we’re picking up right where we left off, which means our hands are all over each other. That’s when her dad—my boss—walks in. And before I can get a word out, Brooke’s introducing me as her fiancé.

Sure, she just saved my ass. So why do I get the feeling Brooke’s going to turn my world upside down? Maybe it’s because this fake relationship feels way too real. . . .

Review

BISHOP is the first book in a new hockey romance series by Sawyer Bennett, and it was a pretty decent start to the series.

What I liked:
1 – How bold and confident Brooke was with Bishop the night of their one-night-stand. It was nice to see a woman not ashamed to admit exactly what it was she wanted.
2 – That while Bishop was surprised by his growing feelings for Brooke, not once did he get scared or push her away because of them. He might not have wanted a relationship originally, but he was willing to see how things would progress between them.
3 – Meeting some of the other players on the team, especially brooding and damaged Tacker.
4 – Getting a quick introduction to the team’s owner, who seemed like a pretty cool guy.

What I didn’t like:
1 – Bishop insisting that Brooke sleep with him in return for him going along with the fake engagement. Yes, she wanted to keep sleeping with him, but the idea of a man using his power over a woman to demand sexual gratification did not sit well with me.
2 – The several mentions of anal sex that never happened. If the couple aren’t going to have anal sex, why have them keep talking about how it’s going to happen?
3 – Nanette’s involvement in this story, as well as the fact that her involvement was not finalized. I can only assume—and hope—that we will find out what is happening with her in the next book/s, otherwise there was no point to her being in this book at all.
4 – The book’s abrupt ending. There seems to be a growing trend recently where a book will finish immediately after the couple make up, with no epilogue, which makes me feel like I’ve been left hanging. I am not a fan of it.

BISHOP is told in dual POVs, and while I didn’t fall in love with this story, I’m definitely looking forward to reading more books in this series.

Bishop (Arizona Vengeance #1)

My Rating:

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Arizona Vengeance Series

Boy Toy (Man Hands #3)

By Sarina Bowen & Tanya Eby

Synopsis

Liam
The moment Sadie Matthews walks through the daycare center door, I feel my world tilt in her direction. Again. I fell for her when I was fourteen, and I’m still not over her. Problem: she still thinks of me as a teen she used to babysit. But I’ve learned a few things about pleasing a woman in the last fifteen years. I can’t wait to show her how good it could be. I need to move quickly before I lose her again. This is more than a game to me, but I still plan to win.

Sadie
I’ve just survived the worst year of my life. As a single mom of twin toddlers, I don’t have time for a man. I barely have time to finish a thought. Who knew that Liam McAllister would grow up to be so devastating? He’s everything my husband was not: tall, built, and willing to have a tea party with my girls.

I can’t possibly get involved with him. He’s too young for me. Too handsome. But he’s so persuasive…

Review

I loved this book! BOY TOY was sexy and fun, and it was refreshing to read a story about a younger man/older woman for a change, even if the age difference between Sadie and Liam was only five years.

I think Sadie is a character a lot of women will relate to. She was smart, hardworking and a wonderful mother to her adorable twin girls, Kate and Amy. I felt so sad and angry on her behalf at how her self-esteem had been knocked down by her douche of an ex-husband, who you wish was real just so you could kick him in the balls for his douchey ways.

Liam was an amazing man and it was no surprise that Sadie and her girls fell in love with him. He proved to all three of them that they could rely on him, that he’d always be there and that he’d always keep his promises.

I loved all the characters, with the exception of Douchebag Decker of course, and I liked getting a glimpse of the previous couples and where they were at with their lives. I LOVED the surprise party for Liam’s dad, which was both hilarious and gratifying. As with the previous books, the banter and inner monologue were quite amusing, like this little gem, which had me laughing out loud and saying “Ewww” at the same time.

“He wants to put ranch dressing on your Hidden Valley.”

The only complaint I have is that I was irritated by how many times Liam referred to his fourteen-year-old self. It was funny at first, but it got old pretty fast.

BOY TOY is told in dual POVs and comes with a beautiful HEA for Sadie and Liam. While it is part of a series, it can be read as a stand-alone, though I would recommend reading the previous two books because they’re both very enjoyable.

Boy Toy (Man Hands #3)

My Rating:

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Man Hands Series

Destiny Mine (Tormentor Mine #3)

By Anna Zaires

Synopsis

Fate made us enemies. I made us lovers.

In a different world, we were meant for each other.

This is not that world.

Note: For optimal enjoyment, it’s recommended you read the Twist Me trilogy prior to starting this book.

Review

Not my favourite of this series, however, it is a must read to understand where the final book of the series will go. Just the Epilogue leaves your aghast as to how the final book will play out.

I felt such loneliness for Sara as she waited for Peter. The frustration that Peter felt and the build-up to the event that allows him to return to her left me a little deflated. It really did seem to happen so easily after all that build up of being an impossible and dangerous exercise.

My main problem with this story upon reflection is that Peter and Sara are separated for so much. I love their chemistry and emotion when they are together in the story. So I am putting that down to why this was not my favourite, I still enjoyed it but it did not set the sky alight.

Destiny Mine (Tormentor Mine #3)

My Rating:

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Mixed Up Love

By Natasha Madison

Synopsis

Hunter
When my business partner asked me to do him a favor, I had no idea he was sending me on the blind date his mother had arranged for him.
I walked in the bar, saw the woman drinking her third martini, and knew I was in for an eventful night.
After the unexpected second date, she didn’t know my real name or who I really was. By that time, the lie was too far gone, and I wanted her too much to admit the truth.

Laney
It’s not every day you find out your ex-boyfriend is engaged.
I shouldn’t have agreed to the blind date, but I wasn’t in any position to turn down a night out when my mother insisted.
I will admit, I definitely shouldn’t have ordered that fourth martini before said blind date even arrived.
The man turned out to be swoon worthy, handsome, condescending— a perfect distraction.

Then I found out he was a liar.

I’ve never been in over my head to this degree.

Then again, I’ve never been mixed up in love.

Review

Mixed Up Love has plenty of humour, tenderness and male alpha moments that simply cement Hunter and Laney’s romantic journey. It is fast and full of stubbornness and passion. Throw in their two friends Anthony and Sandy and I simply devoured this in a day and could not put it down. I began reading and the next minute I looked down and realised I was at 60% and could not leave these characters.

The Blind Date was perfect, after that first night, I knew this was going to be a great romance read.

When Laney finds out her blind date is not who she thinks it was perfect and showed her sensitivity. Anthony and Candy provide humour at this point especially when Hunter is trying to rectify his mistake with Laney. The endless mentions of Tinder will make you laugh out loud, my favourite quote is by Hunter.

“These two …… I don’t even think Tinder knew what to do with them”, I say, looking over at them, “except to match them”

The story flows well and does take place over a few weeks, then we jump ahead 6 months and three years in Epilogue One & Two which I loved as we get to see not only Hunter & Laney but also where Anthony & Candy end up. Lots of beautiful moments which also include their family and I was left totally satisfied.

Quote: “Seriously?” Her voice fills the car. “You put yourself under serial killer”. She laughs.

Mixed Up Love

My Rating:

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The Chase (Briar U # 1)

By Elle Kennedy

Synopsis

Everyone says opposites attract. And they must be right, because there’s no logical reason why I’m so drawn to Colin Fitzgerald. I don’t usually go for tattoo-covered, video-gaming, hockey-playing nerd-jocks who think I’m flighty and superficial. His narrow view of me is the first strike against him. It doesn’t help that he’s buddy-buddy with my brother.

And that his best friend has a crush on me.

And that I just moved in with them.

Oh, did I not mention we’re roommates?

I suppose it doesn’t matter. Fitzy has made it clear he’s not interested in me, even though the sparks between us are liable to burn our house down. I’m not the kind of girl who chases after a man, though, and I’m not about to start. I’ve got my hands full dealing with a new school, a sleazy professor, and an uncertain future. So if my sexy brooding roomie wises up and realizes what he’s missing?

He knows where to find me.

Review

THE CHASE is the first book in the Briar U series (a spin-off of the Off-Campus series, which is one of my all-time favorite series) and I won’t lie, I have been waiting for this book for a very long time. Almost two years to be exact and I’m very glad the wait is finally over. As with any book from Elle Kennedy, THE CHASE was a very enjoyable binge read that left me wanting more.

It’s hard to believe that two weeks ago I was excited about seeing Fitz.
Now I’m dreading it. My unicorn is no longer a unicorn. He’s a judgmental donkey.

I liked Summer and Fitz, but Summer was definitely my favorite character. She was a breath of fresh air and was so open and honest. A special mention also has to go out to Brenna, Summer’s new best friend and the daughter of the school’s hockey coach, who was just as ballsy and unapologetic as Summer was. Fitz was a good guy, but he did try my patience with how negative he could be towards Summer simply because her personality was different to his.

I’ve made more of an effort to be social, but deep down I’m still the guy who wants to remain invisible.
Summer is the most visible person I’ve ever met.

THE CHASE is most definitely an angsty, slow burn romance, with Summer and Fitz pushing and pulling each other for more than two thirds of the book, which for me was a very long time to wait for them to get together. I was left with a lot of questions relating to both Summer and Fitz, and if those questions don’t get answered in the following books, it will annoy me greatly. I was a little disappointed with the ending because it felt abrupt, came without an epilogue and came almost immediately after a very big scene had been played out.

THE CHASE is told in dual POVs and comes with a nice enough ending for Summer and Fitz. I’m very much looking forward to Brenna’s book, THE RISK, which is scheduled to be released in February 2019, and I’m desperate to know who her love interest will be. Will it be Hollis, Summer and Fitz’s roommate? Or will it be Jake Connelly, a rival hockey player from Harvard? Time will tell, and I for one hope time flies.

* Please note: This book includes talk about—and includes a couple of scenes of—sexual assault, so take caution if this topic is a trigger for you.

The Chase (Briar U # 1)

My Rating:

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Briar U Series

Holding On (Colorado High Country # 6)

By Pamela Clare

Synopsis

A hero barely holding on…

Harrison Conrad returned to Scarlet Springs from Nepal, the sole survivor of a freak accident on Mt. Everest. Shattered and grieving for his friends, he vows never to climb again and retreats into a bottle of whiskey—until Kenzie Morgan shows up at his door with a tiny puppy asking for his help. He’s the last person in the world she should ask to foster this little furball. He’s barely capable of managing his own life right now, let alone caring for a helpless, adorable, fluffy puppy. But Conrad has always had a thing for Kenzie with her bright smile and sweet curves. One look into her pleading blue eyes, and he can’t say no.

The woman who won’t let him fall…

Kenzie Morgan’s life went to the dogs years ago. A successful search dog trainer and kennel owner, she gets her fill of adventure volunteering for the Rocky Mountain Search & Rescue Team. The only thing missing from her busy life is love. It’s not easy finding Mr. Right in a small mountain town, especially when she’s unwilling to date climbers. She long ago swore never again to fall for a guy who might one day leave her for a rock. When Conrad returns from a climbing trip haunted by the catastrophe that killed his best friend, Kenzie can see he’s hurting and wants to help. She just might have the perfect way to bring him back to the world of the living. But friendship quickly turns into something more—and now she’s risking her heart to heal his.

Review

I don’t know if it was me or the book, but I found HOLDING ON to be just an okay read. I’ve read and enjoyed many books from Pamela Clare, but when I got to the end of this one, I realized that I had not been invested in the story or its main characters.

That being said, I did like the sweet and emotional ending. I also liked Kenzie, who was ballsy and laughed in the face of danger when she was terrified.

HOLDING ON is told in dual POVs and while it is part of a series, it can be read as a stand-alone. However, when Meg was updating Harrison about everyone back home, there were a lot of names thrown out and even though I’ve read the previous five books in this series, I felt confused trying to remember who everyone was.

While I didn’t love HOLDING ON, I would gladly read more from this series.

Holding On (Colorado High Country # 6)

My Rating:

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Colorado High Country Series

Emilia: Part 2 (Trassato Crime Family #4)

By Lisa Cardiff

Synopsis

I’m the head of the Masciantonio family. I’m a dangerous, ruthless, unforgiving man, and I know how to fight dirty.

Fate put Emilia Trassato in my path. I saw a future with her—I saw hope. But she didn’t agree, and I let her walk away.

Now she’s back, but I’m no longer free to claim her. However, the minute our eyes meet, I know there’s nothing in this entire goddamn world strong enough to keep me from her.

She’s the only woman I’ve ever wanted, and I don’t care how many promises I have to break, or how many lives I have to destroy…I’m not letting her go. Not again.

Because this time…she’s mine.

Review

Firstly you must read Emilia: Part 1 which was released in May 2017, this will set up the love triangle and where Emilia finds herself at the start of this book. As it had been a year I re-read book 1 and still loved the drama and suspense around this mafia family.

Salvatore and Marcello provide again great tension, however, I was happy this was not dragged on. The choice by Emilia is made swiftly in the beginning and I was very satisfied, she chose the right man for her. Their passion was perfect and I loved how we learned so much more about Emilia’s family history. Her father finally stood up for her. That was a favourite turn of events in this story for me, to learn more about her mother.

The mystery and suspense were tied up really well by the author, it was worth the wait and I did not pick the dangerous connections. My only complaint was Part 2 does not have all the angst and drama that Part 1 had and it would have been great to have this whole story in one book to keep the momentum.

Emilia: Part 2 (Trassato Crime Family #4)

My Rating:

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Clean Sweep (San Francisco Dragons # 1)

By Kate Willoughby

Synopsis

He’s a hockey player, not a housekeeper.

Cameron Bowes is the face of the San Francisco Dragons, so when the team needs a gimmick to improve their fan relations, Cameron becomes the focus of the new video “At Home with a Dragon”. Unfortunately for Cam, his bachelor pad looks like an earthquake hit it. Repeatedly.

She’s the sexy maid a teammate hires as a joke.

Dakota Kelly has been working non-stop since she was unexpectedly awarded custody of her young niece. Though the little girl’s grandmother swooped in to help, the old woman’s overbearing ways have left Dakota no choice but to work as a janitor and moonlight as a maid in the hopes of one day getting some much-needed space from her niece’s highly controlling Nana.

Lucky for Cam, Dakota turns out to be the miracle worker he desperately needs, and he jumps at the chance to hire her as his live-in housekeeper. Soon, the two can no longer ignore their smoldering chemistry, and it seems turning their business relationship into a happily-ever-after for all three of them will be the next play. There’s just one problem: Nana doesn’t approve, and she’s not about to let her granddaughter go without a fight.

Review

CLEAN SWEEP is the first book in the San Francisco Dragons series, a new hockey series from Kate Willoughby.

I thought Dakota and Cameron were very likable characters. Dakota put her dreams and her life on hold to take care of her orphaned niece, Zinny. She was not afraid of hard work and was not ashamed of what she did because it helped provide for her and Zinny. Cameron was just an all-around nice guy and he never treated Dakota like a piece of meat. Instead, he seemed embarrassed for her at what she had to put up with just to provide for her family. He was there every time Dakota needed help and he was a wonderful father figure for Zinny. The only complaint I have against Cameron and Dakota is that I didn’t feel any chemistry between them.

Story wise, there’s hardly any hockey included, so if you’re after a hockey read, you won’t find it here. Additionally, there were some inconsistencies, some things left hanging, and some events that felt out of place, as though they weren’t put in the right part of the timeline. However, I was reading an advanced reader copy, and I know the author was still tweaking the book after I received my copy, so maybe these things have been fixed for the final copy.

CLEAN SWEEP is told in dual POVs and comes with a HEA for Cameron and Dakota. While it is part of a series, I’m assuming each book can be read as a stand-alone.