Tag Archives: Debut Novel

The Brimstone Kings Mc: Ace

By J J Marstead

Synopsis

Alison
I’ve lived in a small town my entire life. At eighteen, I don’t have a whole lot of life experience, and all I really have time for is my job. I’ve heard of the Brimstone Kings MC, but I’d never seen them until a group of them shows up at the diner where I work. That’s the day I met Ace.

Just his name sends shivers up my spine. That man is sex on a stick. But he’s a man. I’ve only ever been around boys. I don’t know if I’m ready for the kind of life that comes with a man like Ace, but he isn’t giving me much choice.

Ace
Shit, she is fucking beautiful. When I first laid eyes on her, I didn’t think there was a chance in hell she was legal. The minute I found out she was eighteen, it was game on. I will make her mine, if it’s the last thing I do.

Getting her to be mine proves to be harder than I thought though. I need to prove to her that I am the man for her. That I can take care of her. That I won’t hurt her. This woman is stubborn as hell, but I’m determined to make her see what it feels like to be with a real man.

Review

This is a debut novel by the author. The basic storyline is a good one, typical of biker romance but I just found the flow of this story somewhat confusing at stages, we get both POV which helps in understanding the characters thoughts and actions. I just found it fast forwarded at the wrong times for me and there were two many storylines and I became lost and some outcomes I found the timeframes not working especially for Alison.

I have so many questions after reading this book.

What happened to her boss?, he was a major character in the start then just disappeared and considering his feelings, he could have thrown a bit of a power play into the story.

Porsche was one character, yes she was a typical bikie chick but I felt her part of the story did not flow into each other for me, in the end I found her inconsequential and her final scene with Ace in the hospital left me flat. I mean all that drama and then zip.

The MC club really takes a back seat to this whole story, it is more about Alison and Ace. Ace is a real soft bikie for a VP and not my kind of rough and rugged – I did not feel their instant connection at all.

Alison is 18, her actions reflect this and once I got past that fact then I could forgive her when she became somewhat annoying and emotional – but do not get me wrong she grew on me by the end and probably is what kept me reading.

Now I have read a shitload of Bikie romance novels and yes I know they are fantasy but there are some actions in this book that just did not feel right for me. The main moment for me was when a member from a rival gang was in the clubhouse in the VP bedroom, I mean how did he get past the gates, through the club and then be allowed to just walk out through the front of the clubhouse – did not make sense to me – sorry. These were the gaps I needed in the whole mystery and drama that was trying to be portrayed upon the pages.

This story had really great moments that I wish were extended to perhaps help create a bit more depth, there was in some ways for me too much happening with so many different characters like her sister and Viper, their story started off as all drama then just fell off the radar and I really liked them as a couple – they had fire and fight. I would have loved to see a scene at the hospital between them two where they decide to move forward together as a couple as Viper obviously loved her. That also would have entwined them into the final chapters where we get to see these characters further down the track.

This book gets all nicely tidied up at the end of the series, you get the HEA and see how these two characters are 10 years on which was a great way to close up the book and I was happy for them.

Liked not Loved.

The Brimstone Kings Mc: Ace

My Rating:

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Private Practice (Private Pleasures # 1)

By Samanthe Beck

Synopsis

He’ll teach her how to bring a man to his knees…

Dr. Ellie Swan has a plan: open her practice in tiny Bluelick, Kentucky, so she can keep an eye on her diabetic father, and make hometown golden-boy Roger Reynolds fall in love with her. But Ellie has a problem. Roger seeks a skilled, sexually adventurous partner, and bookish Ellie doesn’t qualify.

Tyler Longfoot only cares about three things: shaking his bad boy image, qualifying for the loan his company needs to rehab a piece of Bluelick’s history, and convincing Ellie to keep quiet about the “incident” that lands him on her doorstep at two a.m. with a bullet in his behind.

The adorable Dr. Swan drives a mean bargain, though. If sex-on-a-stick Tyler will teach Ellie how to bring a man to his knees, she’ll forget about the bullet. Armed with The Wild Woman’s Guide to Sex and Tyler’s lessons, Ellie is confident she can become what Roger needs…if she doesn’t fall for Tyler first.

Review

I’m going to start by saying that for a novella, this one took me a long time to finish. I had trouble engaging with the story and while I liked Tyler, I couldn’t connect with Ellie, who I found to be too clinical and naive. I was confused as to why I wasn’t enjoying this book because I’ve read books from this author before and loved them. My confusion lifted when I read the acknowledgment at the end which states that this was the author’s debut novel. Because this debut novel dates back to 2013, I’m not going to go into great detail with my review. I will say that PRIVATE PRACTICE is told in dual POVs and is the first book in the Private Pleasures series. I will also say that despite not enjoying this book, I know for a fact that her stories have improved, so I would gladly read from this author again.

Private Practice (Private Pleasures # 1)

My Rating:

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Private Pleasures Series

Something So Right

By Natasha Madison

Synopsis

The moment everything changed didn’t happen in that cliché rockets-red-glare kind of way, it happened in the form of a waking nightmare. I caught my husband, my high-school sweetheart, the father of my children, balls deep in a sordid affair.

That was when I gave up on men and love.

I didn’t count on the NHL’s golden boy, the beautiful, arrogant Cooper Stone turning my life and my hockey rink upside down.

My kids are why I wake up in the morning.
Hockey is what Cooper breathes for.

We’re from different worlds and places in our lives but when our hearts collided something so wrong and different turned into something so right.

Review

SOMETHING SO RIGHT is the debut novel from Natasha Madison, and one I enjoyed. It’s the story of Parker, a single mum to two kids who caught her husband having an affair two years earlier, and Cooper, an NHL superstar who’s rehabbing at her facility during the off-season. Like Parker, when they first met I wanted to beat Cooper’s arse for how rude and arrogant he was to her, and I loved how she let him keep the upper hand for a few hours before knocking him down with a polite yet effective punch. Parker is funny and easy-going, but she’s also not afraid to stand up for herself when she has to. Cooper starts out unlikeable, but he quickly turns his attitude around and becomes swoon-worthy book-boyfriend material.

So, why only three hearts? Because while I enjoyed the story, there were some things I didn’t like about it.
1 – The amount of sex in this book. I know there are a lot of people out there that love snatching up a book when they hear a reader complaining about too much sex, so for those people I say “buy away” because you won’t be disappointed. There are about a dozen sex scenes in all, and I started skipping them early on just to get back to the good part…the story.
2 – The dirty talk, especially when it came from Parker. I still can’t make up my mind on whether I found it laughable or cringe-worthy.
3 – The number of times the word “vagina” came up in conversation or inner-monologue. It was used six times in the first chapter alone, and used a total of nineteen times. Maybe that makes me sound like a prude, but I can honestly say that I have never read a book where that word is used that many times.

So what did I like about it? Well that’s easy: the characters.
1 – I loved that Parker’s children acted their age. Matthew was protective of his mother but he could also act like the surly teen you expect a boy his age to behave. Allison was an adorable little girl whose innocence shined through the pages.
2 – I loved how Cooper interacted with the kids. He always answered their questions with honesty and he always treated them with love and respect. He never made them feel as though he was encroaching on their family, but instead that he was adding to it.
3 – I loved how Parker stood up for herself with Cooper’s crazy ex-girlfriend and that she didn’t let her lack of self-confidence weigh her down throughout the entire book. After that first misunderstanding, she trusted Cooper’s feelings for her and never doubted their relationship again.

For a debut novel, I thought SOMETHING SO RIGHT was well written. Once you took out the sex, what was left of the story was very enjoyable. I did notice a few mistakes where I don’t know if there was something wrong with my copy, or if these mistakes were missed by the editor and beta readers. Some words were missing at the beginning of a few sentences. In a dinner scene, they’re supposed to be having steak, but then it turns into chicken. At the beginning, it says that Cooper has won five Stanley Cups, but towards the end, it says he’s playing for his fourth Stanley Cup. The only reason I caught this discrepancy is because I thought it was odd that a player could win five Cups in the span of a 12-13 year career, at least in this century. These mistakes aren’t a big deal and they didn’t affect my rating, but I thought they were worth mentioning in the off chance the author reads my review and wants to correct them in a future edition.

SOMETHING SO RIGHT is told mostly in Parker’s POV, with a few chapters from Cooper’s POV. At this stage it appears to be a stand-alone and it comes with a beautiful HEA set four years into the future. I know I’ve brought up a lot of dislikes and issues, and it probably sounds like I hated this book, but I would happily read more from this author, who I think has a lot of potential.

Something So Right

My Rating:

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The Sun And The Moon (Giving You… # 1)

By Leslie McAdam

Synopsis

She follows all the rules.

He’s going to teach her how to break them.

After a heartbreaking tragedy, successful attorney Amelia Crowley has numbed herself to the pleasures of life, clinging to a specific set of rules, finding strength in order and organization. When she meets easy going surfer Ryan Fielding, that organized life is turned upside down by a sea of washboard abs and sun-kissed hair.

Sexy and charismatic, Ryan looks for pleasure however he can find it in an effort to silence his own inner demons. Until Amelia crashed into his life the only thing he chased was the next wave. Refusing to break their connection and determined to break through her carefully crafted walls, Ryan sets out to throw out every rule in her book and show Amelia that pleasure can’t be planned.

Can Amelia let Ryan take the lead or will she cling to her rules and wipe out their chance at love?

Review

I hate saying this, especially when it’s an author’s debut novel, but I just wasn’t feeling this book. I don’t know if the problem was with me, or maybe I just wasn’t in the mood, so I put it down to come back to it later. But after doing that a few times and still not connecting with the story or its characters by the 44% mark, I decided it was time for me to move on. Most of the story up to that point was Amelia’s inner monologue narrating to the reader, and when Amelia and Ryan do talk, it sounded too clinical, too formal, and not natural at all. Maybe the story would have gotten better-it has great ratings on Amazon and Goodreads-but I just don’t have it in me to try and find out.

The Sun And The Moon (Giving You… # 1)

My Rating:

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Giving You… Series

The Emperor’s Arrow

By Lauren D.M. Smith

Synopsis

The bride candidates have been summoned. Their numbers are many, yet only one is an Amazzi warrior. Only one would give her life to protect him.

Evony of Aureline, warrior of her people, has no intention of becoming a hideous old man’s bride. Though her people have sworn their loyalty to the legendary emperor Galen, Evony knows little of courts and intrigue. It’s simply not her world.

Yet it’s on the palace training grounds where Evony’s archery skills gain her the respect of soldiers and legates alike. The emperor himself takes notice of the beautiful, ruthless warrior. In turn, the young, steely eyed Galen is nothing at all what Evony expected.

This man could very well conquer her heart. But does he feel the same?

As the rivalry among the remaining bride candidates intensifies and the plot for the throne unfolds, Evony must make a grave choice: fulfill her destiny and protect her people or follow her heart and pursue true love.

Either way, the honor of the Amazzi people and the future of the empire now rests with Evony of Aureline. For she is the Emperor’s Arrow.

Review

The Emperor’s Arrow is a debut novel from Lauren D.M. Smith. This story was smart and packed with action.

Galen is an emperor that is in need of protecting his empire. Even if that means gaining a wife. He decides that he should hold a contest to decide who his wife should be. Each of the different factions in the empire are to send their bride candidates. Only problem is, are all the candidates friendly to his empire and his ideals?

Evony of Aureline from the Amazzi people entered an a contest with her sisters not knowing what the prize was. If she had known that the prize was that she would be put in another contest to become wife of the emperor she may not have tried so hard to win. From the moment she gets to imperial palace she earns the respect from almost all of the people she meets.

I love the way that Evony has unwavering confidence and loyalty. There is not question in her mind what her skills are and that her people live a a code of loyalty to the emperor. It’s her confidence that is the most attractive quality that she has and she is a really good role model to all who read her story.

The Emperor’s Arrow

My Rating:

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The Unwanted Wife (Unwanted # 1)

By Natasha Anders

Synopsis

No one had ever looked at her and seen perfection—until now.

Delicate, titian-haired Theresa Noble has met her father’s associates in the past, but the gorgeous, Italian-born Sandro De Lucci leaves her speechless. Eighteen months into their marriage, however, Sandro has turned to ice. Desperate to escape a relationship that has proven to be as stubbornly passionate as it is cold and hateful, Theresa summons up the courage to ask for a divorce. But before he’ll grant her request, Sandro demands something from Theresa: a son.

The stalemate sickens her. Never mind that Sandro has yet to introduce Theresa to the large family that means so much to him. Or that Theresa overhears her husband on the phone with a mystery woman. Most damning is that Theresa senses, in Sandro’s treatment of her, the behind-the-scenes machinations of Jackson Noble, her cruel father. From the depths of her anxiety, Theresa must seek an empowering truth about the husband who calls her, with such cold affection, his cara, his beloved.

Review

“I want a divorce, Alessandro.”

After eighteen months of being married to a man who treats her with contempt, Theresa is calling it quits. The man she fell in love with doesn’t love her in return⎯in fact, her resents her⎯and she sees no point in continuing on. She wants a divorce but Alessandro won’t give her one, at least not until she bears him a son. But when she keeps insisting on a divorce, he starts to question everything and discovers that she’s not to blame for the situation he’s been put in. With the blinders off, he tries to salvage their marriage, but it’s too late; Theresa is too heartbroken to forgive and determined to divorce him as soon as possible.

I really liked Theresa and thought she was a very strong woman. This is a woman who has been put through the emotional wringer, courtesy of her husband and her father. She admits that she’s been a doormat in the past, but she stands up for herself and refuses to be treated that way anymore, and she does a damn fine job of it too. She puts her husband in his place several times, not afraid to point out his poor treatment of her or that what he did was unforgivable.

“I’m your husband…”
“No. You are not my husband. You have never been my husband. A husband loves, honors and cherishes. A husband is a lover and a champion. Look into the next room if you want to see what a real husband is, because you are no such thing!”

I’m just going to put this out there…you will not like Alessandro at the beginning of this book. Even when he learns the truth, he still doesn’t treat Theresa very well thanks to his stupid male pride. But when he puts aside his resentment and realises how badly he’s hurt her, he changes his whole attitude and becomes a man you’re truly hoping will win back his wife. But eighteen months of poor treatment is a very hard thing to overcome, if at all. Theresa is bitter and untrusting of his motives, and I don’t blame her.

“I’m trying to fix this, cara.”
“You can’t. This…whatever it is…it’s irreparable.”

THE UNWANTED WIFE grabbed me from the first page and did not let me go. Any opportunity I had to read it during the day, I took it. I went through so many tissues throughout this book, especially in the beginning, which took me forever to get through because I was constantly stopping to wipe my eyes. I was so sad and angry for what Theresa had been going through. You will definitely experience several emotions while reading this story. From memory, this is told only in Theresa’s POV and while it’s part of a series, it can be read as a standalone.

“Why should I forgive you and love you again? Why should I open up my heart to a man who could easily crush it in the palms of his hands?”
“You probably shouldn’t. But I wish you would.”

The Unwanted Wife (Unwanted # 1)

My Rating:

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The Unwanted Series

Worth The Fall (The McKinney Brothers # 1)

By Claudia Connor

Synopsis

They meet on a beach. . . . Abby Davis isn’t wearing a skimpy bikini or sipping umbrella drinks, not when she’s busy chasing around four little ones. And Matt McKinney isn’t looking for fun—he’s a Navy SEAL, a grown man with a long list of missions . . . and fallen brothers.

They only have a week. . . . Abby has brought her children to this beach to start over, to give them the enjoyable memories they deserve. Matt’s been sidelined by a combat injury, and haunted by the best friend he lost and the promise he made: to remain a SEAL—focused and dedicated. This leaves no time for what he’s always wanted: a family.

But a week is all it takes. . . . Matt opens her heart while Abby soothes his soul. And though they plan to say good-bye when the week is over, something magical happens on that beach, something neither can forget. Something utterly, completely worth falling for.

Review

Matt is a Navy SEAL who is grieving the death of his best friend. On a forced beach getaway with a cousin, he stumbles across Abby and her children playing in the sand. The kids are in desperate need of a father figure and really cling to Matt after they meet. Matt’s not in a very good place, but he enjoys spending time with Abby and her family, so he inserts himself into their lives for the week they’re away. But one week is not enough and they start a long-distance relationship while Matt decides if his future is with his SEAL team, or with Abby.

I loved everyone in this book⎯Matt, Abby and her kids. Abby has always dreamed of having a large family, one that would never leave her. But her husband travelled overseas for work and was never there for her or their kids, so when he died, it wasn’t much of a loss for her. I liked that she didn’t cling to Matt in the beginning, despite her attraction to him. She took her time, she was cautious and she made sure he was serious before starting anything with him. What can I say about Matt? He’s sweet. He’s hot. He’s a wonderful man to Abby and a wonderful father to her kids. You just know that he would do absolutely anything to keep them safe and happy.

“I can’t breathe when you look at me like that.”
“Like what? Like I love you? Because I do. More than I ever thought possible.”

I’ll be honest, when WORTH THE FALL came out in September 2014, I wasn’t interested in reading it. A book about a man falling in love with (and presumably having sex with) a pregnant woman who already has four kids? Yeah, that didn’t sound like something I’d be into. But as time went on, I kept seeing the book and the series pop up in my FB newsfeed, so I finally decided to give it a try, and I’m so glad I did because it truly was a beautiful story. WORTH THE FALL is told in dual POVs, is the first book in the McKinney Brothers series and I believe it is also the debut novel from Claudia Connor. The only fault I had with the story is that there were times where a conversation or a thought didn’t make sense, only because said conversation or thought seemed to come out of nowhere. Other than that, I really enjoyed this book and I’m looking forward to reading book two, WORTH THE RISK, real soon.

Worth The Fall (The McKinney Brothers # 1)

My Rating:

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The McKinney Brothers Series

Loving Daniel

By Stacy Ford

Synopsis

When Kenzie Hart’s boyfriend dumped her and broke her heart, she didn’t let it stop her from living life. Kenzie went out and made a great life for herself. She has a loving husband, two kids, and a thriving career. She is living the life of a modern day fairy tale. But if Kenzie should have learned anything, it’s fairy tales are a work of fiction. There are no happily ever after’s. When tragedy strikes, she moves back to her hometown to start over with her friends and family at her side.

Daniel Roberts has always regretted the way things ended with Kenzie. There has not been a day in the last twenty years he has not wished he could go back in time and change what happened. Now she is coming home after the loss of her husband. He is determined to show her he can be the man she and her kids need.

Will Kenzie be able to forgive Daniel?
Could he give her a second chance at a happily ever after?

Review

Kenzie and Daniel were high school sweethearts, but Daniel joined the Army and didn’t want to leave Kenzie waiting for him at home, so he broke up with her on the night of their senior prom. Twenty years later, Kenzie has been married, had two children and lost her husband to cancer. Knowing that she’ll head back home, Daniel retires from the Army with the sole purpose of winning Kenzie back.

I liked Kenzie a lot and thought she was an amazing character. She’s lost her husband and is raising two kids by herself as well as running a home business. She has a great support network and is not afraid to ask for help when she needs it. I also liked Daniel and his determination to win Kenzie back. He made it very clear he was not out to replace her husband or her children’s father and he did a wonderful job with helping them honour Ben’s memory. But I was a little disappointed with some of his actions. He avoided his brother’s wedding because he didn’t want to see Kenzie with her husband, and when he got the news that Kenzie’s husband was dying, he dumped the woman he’d been in a relationship with so that he could go home to win Kenzie back. Some women might swoon over stuff like that, but it didn’t sit right with me.

LOVING DANIEL is a sweet and sometimes emotional read that is told in dual POVs. You’ll definitely need tissues when Kenzie talks about her late husband. I did notice several spelling and grammar mistakes, and there was also an issue or two with the timeline, so it could use an editor. My copy of LOVING DANIEL was an ARC/Master Copy, so perhaps by the time it went live, the mistakes I found had been fixed. And I’m not sure if this will make sense, but the story felt like it moved quickly, but moved slowly at the same time. But for a debut novel, I thought this was a pretty good read.

Daniel: We have consumed way too much soda and pizza, but that’s what you do when the wives leave. No one is going to get a balanced meal, but we’ll keep them alive.

Loving Daniel

My Rating:

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Full Measures (Flight & Glory # 1)

By Rebecca Yarros

Synopsis

She knew. That’s why Mom hadn’t opened the door. She knew he was dead. Twenty years as an army brat and Ember Howard knew, too. The soldiers at the door meant her dad was never coming home. What she didn’t know was how she would find the strength to singlehandedly care for her crumbling family when her mom falls apart. Then Josh Walker enters her life. Hockey star, her new next-door neighbor, and not to mention the most delicious hands that insist on saving her over and over again. He has a way of erasing the pain with a single look, a single touch. As much as she wants to turn off her feelings and endure the heartache on her own, she can’t deny their intense attraction. Until Josh’s secret shatters their world. And Ember must decide if he’s worth the risk that comes with loving a man who could strip her bare.

Review

On her 20th birthday, December’s world is shattered when she learns that her father has been killed in Afghanistan. Her mother shuts down and, being the oldest of three children, she is forced to take control of the family and handle everything in relation to her father’s death. Her self-involved boyfriend is of absolutely no help and her sister starts rebelling, which only add to the strain. And on what is the darkest day of her life, the reappearance of her high school crush, Josh, and the feelings he awakens are confusing and not what she needs to deal with right now.

December and Josh are a beautiful couple. December is a very strong and selfless young woman, even when she doesn’t want to be. She wants to break down. She wants to grieve. But she’s the glue keeping her family together, so what she wants will have to wait. While everyone in this book suffers a loss of some sort, December is dealt with more than anyone else and it’s amazing how much she takes without breaking. Josh is an absolute sweetheart but he’s no pushover. He’s kind and patient, and he steps in to help however he can, even when she swears she doesn’t need him.

This is not the first time I’ve read FULL MEASURES but it still had me crying, so having tissues nearby is a must. It was good reading this again because certain comments made by Josh throughout the book made a lot more sense the second time around. If you’re looking for a read that will grip your heart within the first few pages and not let go, FULL MEASURES is for you.

Full Measures (Flight & Glory # 1)

My Rating:

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Flight & Glory Series

Reawakened Secrets (Reawakened # 1)

By Mari Denae

Synopsis

Some secrets should never be kept…

Growing up in the servants’ quarters at Haven Hill, Claire Brown was a poor outcast, living in a world of money and privilege. Her only solace was best friend, Alice Sinclair, and secret desire, Jackson Montgomery. Rich and connected, they were perfect in every way and perfect for each other.

Still, Claire was foolish enough to fall in love with Jackson, and desperate enough to hide it. When Alice found out, there was a terrible accident that left her in a coma. Jackson disappeared, leaving New Haven without even saying good-bye.

Ten years later, Claire has managed to build a life without them. So when Jackson calls out of nowhere to say Alice is awake, Claire’s first thought is Thank God. Her second? I’m screwed. Lusting after Jackson destroyed her. It’s nothing compared to what she’s hiding now.

But nothing stays hidden forever.

Review

Caught up in a love triangle, Jackson left Claire ten years ago to stay by Alice’s bedside while she was in a coma. Now that Alice is awake, he plans to win Claire back because he’s been in love with her since he was a teen. But Claire, who was left devastated by Jackson’s departure and that he never once contacted her, has no plans to let him back into her heart if she can help it.

REAWAKENED SECRETS is the first in a three-part serial novella about Claire and Jackson and does end in a cliffhanger. It’s told in Claire’s POV and contains flashbacks to her teen years before Alice’s accident. REAWAKENED SECRETS is the debut novel for Mari Denae and while it’s not a bad story, it was predictable and I found myself skipping sections to get to the end. While I wasn’t a fan of the story, I thought it was written very well for a new author and the cover is absolutely beautiful.