Tag Archives: Emotional

Sidney’s Triple Shot (Apache Crossing #1)

By Lori King

Synopsis

Sidney Rowe has been abused in ways that most people can’t even imagine. After a horrific miscarriage, she left behind everything she had to escape her ex-boyfriend. She finds refuge in the kindness of the three Dawson brothers. They give her a job and a sense of security in the small town of Apache Crossing.

Xavier, Tyce, and Noah Dawson have built their bar, Triple Shot, into a profitable enterprise. The three former Marines have also built a reputation for integrity in the community, but their sex appeal and charm are legendary. They enjoy their playboy status…that is until a jumpy, skittish Sidney stumbles into their lives needing their help.

Sexual tension explodes when the brothers decide they want to protect and share Sidney, but to have her they have to stop her ex from haunting her. Can they keep her safe and win her damaged heart?

Review

Loved this Menage romance, it had great suspense, humour and strong personalities from the four main characters.  There is a solid build up with their romantic and physical relationship, it was not rushed and was allowed to develop.

The three men, Xavier, Tyce and Noah all brought their own individuality to the relationship with Sidney.  I loved how they all in their own way assisted Sidney in moving forward from her previous relationship.

The suspense story that revolved around Sidney’s previous life provides great moments towards the end of the story.  I would have loved for her story to end where it started but in a happy moment for her and the men, like a rebirth of such.

Sidney’s emotional state and moments where she falls apart are well written and show how the three men give her confidence.  When she begins to stand up for herself, sing, laugh and enjoy moments with the men are my favorites.

The menage scenes were hot, steamy but also full of emotional attachment.

I do feel that the ending was slightly rushed and I have a few questions, perhaps they will be answered in the next book in the series.  There are certainly many characters, their marine friends,  that could have their own story.

Sidney’s Triple Shot (Apache Crossing #1)

My Rating:  

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Devoted to Pleasure (A Devoted Lovers Novel)

By Shayla Black

Synopsis

BOUND BY DUTY…

Bodyguard and former military man Cutter Bryant has always done his duty–no matter the cost. Now he’s taking one last high-octane assignment before settling down in a new role that means sacrificing his chance at love. But he never expects to share an irresistible chemistry with his beautiful new client.

…TEMPTED BY PLEASURE

As the star of a steamy television drama, Shealyn West knows fame well, but it has come at the expense of her heart. With a blackmailer watching her every move and the threat of career-ending exposure looming, Shealyn hires Cutter to shore up her security and keep her safe, never imagining their attraction will be too powerful to contain.

As Shealyn and Cutter navigate the scintillating line between business and pleasure, they unravel a web of secrets that threaten their relationship and their lives. When danger strikes, Cutter must decide whether to follow his heart for the first time, or risk losing Shealyn forever.

Review

In this first full length cross-over book between the Wicked Lovers series and the Devoted Lovers Series we find Cutter having to decide between his heart and his loyalty to his best friend.

This book captures everything that made the Wicked Lovers series so good.  It picks up at the end of Holding on Tighter.  Cutter and One-Mile definitely hate each other.

Cutter is a great guy who believes in loyalty.  He is even willing to sacrifice is own heart to save his friend from small town ridicule and her fathers wrath. When he starts to fall for the woman he is protecting he has to make serious decisions.

Shealyn is also just a good person but she has been caught in a complicated situation with no easy way out. People are depending on her for the show and their personal lives.

I loved Devoted to Pleasure.  It has great characters that just build on each other.  It was fast paced and over too soon.  I really liked the internal struggle that Cutter was having between what to do with his best friend and Shealyn.  And I really liked the mystery in this story. I can’t wait for the next addition to this series to come out.

Devoted to Pleasure

My Rating:  

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Rescuing Rayne (Delta Force Heroes #1)

By Susan Stoker

Synopsis

As a flight attendant, Rayne Jackson is used to cancellations, but she never dreamed her latest would lead to a whirlwind tour of London with a handsome stranger…or a life-altering night in his bed. One evening is all the enigmatic man can give her, and Rayne greedily takes it, despite suspecting it will never be enough.

Heading home after another extreme mission, Keane “Ghost” Bryson hadn’t planned to seduce someone during his layover, but Rayne is too sweet to resist. Being a Delta Force member means lying to protect his identity, which is unfortunate, considering Rayne seems made for Ghost, right down to the tattoo on her back. For the first time in his life, regret fills him as he slips away the following morning.

Both are shocked when, months later, they meet again—under the worst possible circumstances. Seems fate has given them a second chance…if they can survive the terrorist situation they’re in. If Rayne can forgive Ghost his lies. And if Ghost can trust Rayne to be strong enough to endure the secrets and uncertainty that come with loving a Delta Force soldier.

** Rescuing Rayne is the 1st book in the Delta Force Heroes Series. Each book is a stand-alone, with no cliffhanger endings.

Review

I actually read and loved Rescuing Emily (Book 2 of the Delta Force Heroes) first and it was great to see that story overlap with this one.  Emily and Fletch were wonderful characters and I loved their story.

Ghost and Rayne’s story takes place over a long period of time, they first meet and then reconnect months later.  The initial meeting I really enjoyed, there were no expectations, they had fun and enjoyed their moment in time.  Their one night stand was passionate and when he leaves broke my heart.

Fast forward and Rayne’s life being in danger, that was harrowing and I was begging for Ghost and his team to rescue her. Whilst she recuperated, their relationship deepens and we also meet more of the Delta Force team, they are all definitely alpha.

Rescuing Rayne is a very easy story, has great flow, moments of tension and in the end a great romantic journey with a HEA, all the elements to make you happy.

Rescuing Rayne (Delta Force Heroes #1)

My Rating:  

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Hell Upside Down

By Mia Villano

Synopsis

Scarlett Ferguson wanted out of her dreary life in Cutler, Maine. Every day was only an existence living in poverty in a run down trailer with her dad and his girlfriend. Working a dead end job in a restaurant, Scarlett’s life changes the day Hugh Cruz walks into her world.


He is gorgeous, rich and charming, sweeping Scarlett off her feet after a few dates. When he wants to marry her in a rush, she thinks nothing of it, other than it is true love. That changes on the night of her honeymoon. The night Scarlett realizes, things are not what they seem. It doesn’t take long for Scarlett to become someone she swore she never would be, in a life she swore she never would want.

Heartbroken and confused, Scarlett realizes that the life she ran away from is the life she truly wants.  Secrets unravel as Scarlett discovers the real reason Hugh came into her life. No one is who she thought they were and the people she trusted are soon revealing their true identity. Hell Upside Down is a dark, emotional standalone novel filled with suspense. Each page has you wanting more. 

Review

Hell Upside Down I literally finished in a just a few days, I could not put this mystery romance down.  The author begins her novel perfectly, we are given a taste of Scarlett’s life, we then go back to where it begins.  The first half of the story we are heading to that pivotal moment in her future.  I was simply on the edge of my seat knowing this and the hell she was going to endure.  The pacing was perfect to me, giving me enough to keep turning the pages.  The second half of the story is forging a new life for herself and this is where she simply shines.

Scarlett is such a strong and resilient character, she was my purpose to continue this often dark and dangerous tale.  Her marriage and will to survive in an abusive environment was simply heartbreaking.

Durango did not disappoint, I had hopes for him in the beginning and he plays his part to perfection.

The most surprising of this whole story was all the mystery and players in the second half, this story is no way finished when Scarlett gets rescued.  The story literally begins and we learn so much about all the people in her life.  I never picked all the knights in shining armor that were silently there in the background nor the hidden dark players.

Hell Upside Down

My Rating:  

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The Kiss Quotient

By Helen Hoang

Synopsis

Stella Lane thinks math is the only thing that unites the universe. She comes up with algorithms to predict customer purchases–a job that has given her more money than she knows what to do with, and way less experience in the dating department than the average thirty-year-old.

It doesn’t help that Stella has Asperger’s and French kissing reminds her of a shark getting its teeth cleaned by pilot fish. Her conclusion: she needs lots of practice–with a professional. Which is why she hires escort Michael Phan. The Vietnamese and Swedish stunner can’t afford to turn down Stella’s offer, and agrees to help her check off all the boxes on her lesson plan–from foreplay to more-than-missionary position…

Before long, Stella not only learns to appreciate his kisses, but crave all of the other things he’s making her feel. Their no-nonsense partnership starts making a strange kind of sense. And the pattern that emerges will convince Stella that love is the best kind of logic…

Review

The Kiss Quotient is a beautiful story of the journey through life. This story was a story about relationships and how complex they are.  Whether the relationships are between mother and child, siblings or even co-workers they all take work and understanding and this story expresses these relationships with sensitivity.

I love Stella’s character and how she approaches the world.  Her uniqueness draws you to her.  She has Asperger’s which makes relationships difficult for her.  Her passion is definitely numbers.  Her mind solves mysteries by the numbers but matters of the heart are harder for her to understand.  She believes in lists.  I loved the fact that she even had a list for her new teacher on how her lessons should go.

Michael is just a good person.  He has a lot that he has taken responsibility for.  This forces him to pursue a job that he isn’t so proud of.  He meets Stella and knows there is just something special about her which makes him break all his rules.

I think this story is so special. I love Michael’s family and how they are like a real family.  They get mad at each other but they are always family.  I love Stella’s honesty.  Her character had so many levels to her. She doesn’t realize how she affects the world around her. Stella and Michael work so well together.  They make each other better and you can’t ask for more than that.

The Kiss Quotient

My Rating: 

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On Her Master’s Secret Service (Masters & Mercenaries #4)

By Lexi Blake

Synopsis

Her submission fulfilled her

When Eve St. James married Alex McKay, she had her whole life ahead of her. They were the FBI’s golden couple by day, but by night Eve gave herself over to her husband’s world of Dominance and submission filled with pleasures she came to crave.

His betrayal destroyed her

Worried for her safety, Alex left Eve behind to tackle a dangerous mission. But Alex never suspected that Eve was the real target and her security is destroyed by a madman. By the time he rescues her, his wife has been changed forever.

But when her life is in danger he is her only hope

Unable to heal the damage, Alex and Eve are still trapped together in a cycle of pleasure and misery that even their divorce cannot sever. But when a threat from Eve’s past resurfaces, Alex will stop at nothing to save her life and reclaim her heart.

Review

Alex and Eve’s story has blown this series out of the park, this is my favourite so far.  So much action, emotion, passion, and secrets.

Firstly, about halfway through I had a feeling about a character, I was beside myself wanting to know if I was right, the ramifications!!  What a fine tale the author wove and I can only imagine what Big Tag’s story is going to give us.  The last few pages give us an insight and I am so excited.

Alex and Eve have been two characters who held my attention from the first book.  Eve has played her part in helping Sean, Adam, Jake, and Liam to open their hearts to love.  Can Eve open hers again?  Her story is tragic and one I was not prepared for.  This story flowed really well and I could not put this down.

I kept changing my thoughts and opinions on characters, who the bad guys were, who would be Eve’s saviors?  She is a fighter and my heart wept with joy with her returning to Alex and his strength and dominance.  These two characters are simply soul mates and I loved seeing them return to each other.  I hope further miracles happen for these two.

On Her Master’s Secret Service (Masters & Mercenaries #4)

My Rating:  

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Survival of the Richest (Survival of the Richest #1)

By Skye Warren

Synopsis

An heiress without a cause.
Two billionaires determined to claim her.
And a war fought on the most dangerous battlefield–the heart.

“What an incredible book! Survival of the Richest has everything — Skye Warren’s beautiful writing, a sexy, compelling story; intricate characters, and a provocative love triangle that will captivate you until the very end.” ~ New York Times bestselling author Nina Lane

My story starts with a plunge into the cold water of Manhattan’s harbor.

A strong hand hauls me back onto the deck of the luxury yacht. Christopher was supposed to be my enemy. Instead, he protects me with fierce determination.

That should have been my happily ever after, but then Sutton appeared–ruthless and seductive. He doesn’t care that my heart belongs to someone else, because he’s determined to win. No matter the cost.

It’s an impossible choice, but I can’t have them both.

Review

Normally I do not like love triangles but Christopher, Sutton and in particular Harper weave together through their own darkness.  It was an interesting story and at no time did I become agitated with the indecision and confusion by Harper.

At times I was as indecisive as Harper as to who I thought would feed her heart and soul.

Towards the end I admit I probably always wanted Christopher to choose Harper.  Their beginning which is told in the Trust Fund (Prologue) probably cemented my love for Christopher.

My most favourite part of this story was the relationship between Harper and her parents .  How that affected Harper’s life was really interesting.  Then throw in Christopher’s part and the tale is woven with manipulation from her father.

Sutton was dark and dangerous and there are some great erotic moments.  His friendship with Christopher and his own personal demons gave another layer to this story.

We meet the Thieves club and also other characters from the Endgame and Masterpiece Series which I loved.  It was great to see Avery, Penny and Damon Scott.

This is going to be another great duet series by Skye Warren that I am going to devour.

Quote:  It doesn’t feel like a loss.  It feels like being free.

Survival of the Richest (Survival of the Richest #1)

My Rating:  

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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:  

Buy Links:  Amazon | iBooks

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A Shameless Little Bet (Shameless #3)

By Meli Raine

Synopsis

How do I prove a negative?

I need to prove Jane is innocent, despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary.

Mirrors, smoke, and lies can conjure a truth that isn’t real. Money, bribes, and power can twist reality. What we call proof is all an elaborate magic act.

So is love.

How do you prove you’re in love? How can you know with unrelenting certainty that the person you can’t live without really loves you?

It’s all about what you believe. Who you believe. And I believe Jane. I love her. But it might be too late.

Or, worse – it might all be an illusion. If proof is just a magician’s sleight of hand, then we’re caught in a sick trick.

A deadly one.

One that doesn’t end with applause.

But with a bang.

Read the entire Shameless series now!

A Shameless Little Con (#1)
A Shameless Little Lie (#2)
A Shameless Little Bet (#3)
The trilogy is complete!

Review

A Shameless Little Bet has brilliantly completed this series.  This final installment has answered all my thoughts on not only Jane & Silas but also Lindsay & Drew.

In a Shameless Little Bet,  Jane’s emotional state continues to unravel yet she begins to trust her instincts more. Lindsay and Jane both became stronger and determined together to find answers.

This final installment is a major read, it has revelations that have always been there.  Throughout this series, I have questioned characters and motives for which I am glad to have been answered.  It is strange how characters up front and center whom I dismissed have come back to play.

I never guessed all the final outcomes, who would have thought we would come this far from A Harmless LIttle Game.  I loved the way the author completed this story, we are given happiness and contentment and above all else peace and silence for Jane & Lindsay.

A Shameless Little Bet (Shameless #3)

My Rating:  

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Order of Protection (A Courting Justice Novel)

By Lexi Blake

Synopsis

To high-end defense attorney Henry Garrison, Win Hughes is a woman he met during one of the most trying times of his life. She’s soft and warm, and he finds solace in their brief relationship. But Win has a secret. She’s actually Taylor Winston-Hughes–born to one of the wealthiest families in the country, orphaned as a child by a tragic accident. Win moves in the wealthiest circles, but her lavish lifestyle hides her pain.

When her best friend is murdered in the midst of a glittering New York gala, Win’s charged with the crime, and the only person in the world she wants to see is Henry.

Henry is shocked at the true identity of his lover, but he can’t reject the case. This trial could take his new firm into the stratosphere. Still, he’s not getting burned by Win again. And yet every turn brings them closer together.

As the case takes a wild turn and Win’s entire life is upended, she must look to the people she’s closest to in order to find a killer. And Henry must decide between making his case and saving the woman he loves…

Review

Order of Protection takes us on an emotional journey.  Two people who are very successful but are both missing pieces of their lives.

Henry meets Win and falls for her but doesn’t really know who she is.  Win meets this incredible guy who she has great chemistry with but knows that there is an expiration date on their relationship. When she is charged with murder Henry is there to save her.  Even if he can’t trust her again.

I loved this story.  The characters are well developed.  I definitely have a true sense of who Win and Henry are and why they rushed to judgement.  I also love that this series has a connection to the Lawless series.  Noah another sibling of the Lawless clan shows that he is just as brilliant as the rest of the family.

This story also had a definite theme that everyone’s vision of perfect is different.  And I liked the fact that Win suffered with an eating disorder challenged her perception of what perfect is. This part of the story took more personal turn for me but didn’t dominate the rest of the story lines.

I really found this story to be fast paced and full of surprises. I can’t wait for the next book in this series.

Order of Protection

My Rating:  5 Hearts

Buy Links:  Amazon

Visit Author:  Lexi Blake