Tag Archives: Military

Game Changer (Bomb Squad # 3)

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By Melissa Cutler

BR Game Changer

Synopsis

Welcome to Destiny Falls, New York, home of Bomb Squad–an ice hockey team full of rugged military heroes. A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity has the team captain packing his bags for greener pastures, but saying good-bye to the woman who’d captured his heart is easier said than done…

After being wounded in combat, Brandon Theroux lives every day like it’s his last. He never could have imagined that the sleek mechanics of his prosthetic leg would open so many doors, including minor celebrity status as a fitness model and a well-earned reputation as a rakish playboy. The only door it hasn’t opened is the one to Harper Johnson’s bedroom.

Harper has too much self-respect to join the ranks of Brandon’s “carpe diem” conquests, but when she needs someone to keep the peace in the tavern she owns, Brandon offers his help–as long as she agrees to a very tempting trade. It isn’t long before the two realize that a deal struck between friends who can’t keep their hands off each other has the potential to be a whole lot hotter than either of them is prepared to handle…

Review

The synopsis is what really caught my attention to this book.  We have a hockey team (my favourite sport) full of ex-military men (my favourite heroes) in one handy location.  And the guy on the cover holding his shaft is hot, so no brainer right?  Sadly, I didn’t love this book as much as I hoped I would.  Harper has been dealt a pretty crappy hand in life, which is the main reason she’s rejected every sexual advance Brandon’s made to her over the past five years.  She wants a partner, someone she can count on, so being another one of Brandon’s one-night stands is out of the question.  Since losing part of his leg in an explosion that killed several members of his team, Brandon’s goal is to live life to the fullest and to do what he can to help disabled Vets like him.  With no desire to settle down, he’s content to bed woman after woman.  Harper is the only woman to tell him no, which makes him try harder as he’s not one to back away from a challenge.  Angry at her for rejecting him every time, he enjoys rubbing his one-night stands in her face.  This of course makes Harper more determined to reject his advances and this cycle goes on and on and on to the point it’s a hate-hate relationship.  To borrow a phrase the author likes to use a lot in this book, it’s toxic bullshit.

They become good friends when Brandon stops his attempts at bedding her.  Thinking that they’re better of as friends rather than adversaries and lovers, they’re both shocked to discover their friendship is changing, evolving, growing into something pretty amazing.  But Brandon has made a professional choice which sets to destroy the happiness they’ve recently found.

Game Changer was ok, not bad but not great either.  I think what let me down most was the relationship between Harper and Brandon.  Yes, when they become friends and when sex is off the table, they work pretty well together.  And Brandon really stepped up to the plate when Harper needed him most.  But even as friends they rubbed each other the wrong way.  I guess I just didn’t really feel their relationship was anything solid.  But the ending was nice and sweet.

Brandon:  “I couldn’t move on with my life because you are my life.  You’re my everything.  I was a fool for ever thinking I could live with letting you be the one who got away.”

Release Date:  May 19, 2015

Game Changer (Bomb Squad # 3)

My Rating:  3 Hearts

Pre-Order Links:
Amazon.US:  Game Changer
Amazon.CA:  Game Changer
Amazon.UK:  Game Changer
Amazon.AU:  Game Changer
B&N:  Game Changer

Visit Melissa Cutler:  Click Here

 

Ricochet Series

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Heather C. Leigh

BR Ricochet Series

Ricochet: Locked & Loaded (Part 1)
Ricochet: Friendly Fire (Part 2)
Ricochet: Extraction Point (Part 3)

Synopsis

Rick “Ricochet” Brennan served eight years as an elite Marine special ops Force Recon soldier. After an injury, and the terrible memories from that night, he retires and goes to work for his former Command Officer, Howard “Mack” McEvoy, at his training center in Atlanta.

Sanctum MMA appears on the surface to be a normal gym, training elite fighters to be the best. Except each trainer, hand-picked by Mack, possesses a special background that allows Mack to run one of the best-kept secrets in the country.

When twenty-three year old Quinn Wallace finally escapes her abusive husband, she turns to her father’s old Marine Corps buddy, Mack, for help. Broken and skittish, Quinn finds herself surrounded by large, intimidating men— men who could easily overpower her. She avoids them the best she can, but when Rick turns out to be more than just a rough fighter with bruised knuckles, she finds herself wondering if she can allow herself to trust again.

Review

Quinn spent two years trapped in a very abusive marriage while being cut-off from the world.  Knowing that one day she was going to end up dead at Travis’s hands, she plots and executes her escape.  Spending a year on the run living in women’s shelters, she finally makes her way to her father’s Marine buddy, Mack.  No questions asked, he gives her a secretary/receptionist job at his MMA training facility.  Surrounding herself with big men who fight each other for a living was probably not her smartest move, but in the end the job helps her to heal, showing her that not all men are abusive or are out to harm women.

She meets Rick on her first day and her attraction to him is alarming.  Rick is also surprised with his attraction to her.  Being ordered to leave her alone because of his manwhoring ways, Rick knows that’s one order he’ll never be able to follow.  Despite everything that’s happened to her, Quinn is more than ready to move on.  She will not let Travis dictate her future or live in fear of all men.  But she comes with some serious baggage that she needs to get rid of before she can consider the idea of a relationship with another man.  And Travis is determined to get Quinn back and will stop at nothing to make sure it happens.

I’ve not read many books where abuse is prevalent and I can imagine it’s a very hard topic to write about.  Having never been a victim of spousal abuse, what I’m about to say could be completely wrong, but I didn’t understand how Quinn was able to give herself to Rick so quickly.  While she held back from him emotionally, she very quickly gave him her body.  After what Travis did to her, I would assume that an abused woman would really want to take things slow.  Other than that, I think the story could have used a bit more time just to tidy up a few things.  Nothing major, but I found a few things that I thought were odd or that didn’t make sense: If Quinn had access to this, why didn’t she do that?; Why didn’t anyone ever question that person after that happened?; Why didn’t anyone at Sanctum investigate her past; and Why didn’t anyone ever come to question Quinn when Travis was found?  Like I said, these aren’t major issues, but I think if most of these little questions had been answered, I probably would have given this book 5 Hearts.

Overall I thought this serial novella was pretty good.  The writing style was easy to read and I found I was able to read all three novellas quickly as the story held my attention and had me wanting to know what was going to happen next.  I liked that Rick helped Quinn to become the strong woman she wanted to be, while she gave him a reason to show a softer side of himself.

Please note, Quinn suffers some horrific abuse at the hands of her husband and her flashbacks and interactions with Travis were disturbing to read.  I strongly recommend that anyone who has suffered domestic abuse to take caution if they decide to read this series.

Ricochet Series

My Rating:  4 Hearts

Buy Links:
Amazon.com:  Ricochet: Locked & Loaded
Amazon.ca:  Ricochet: Locked & Loaded
Amazon.uk:  Ricochet: Locked & Loaded
Amazon.au:  Ricochet: Locked & Loaded

Buy Links:
Amazon.com:  Ricochet: Friendly Fire
Amazon.ca:  Ricochet: Friendly Fire
Amazon.uk:  Ricochet: Friendly Fire
Amazon.au:  Ricochet: Friendly Fire

Buy Links:
Amazon.com:  Ricochet: Extraction Point
Amazon.ca:  Ricochet: Extraction Point
Amazon.uk:  Ricochet: Extraction Point
Amazon.au:  Ricochet: Extraction Point

Visit Heather C. Leigh:  Click Here

 

Consolation (Consolation Duet # 1)

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By Corinne Michaels

Promo - Consolation 4

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: I absolutely love this cover.  It’s so simple yet so beautiful and this is exactly how I picture Natalie and Liam.  Although a topless shot of Liam wouldn’t go astray either.  I’m just saying.

I had this ARC on my Kindle for days before I started reading it as I really had to get in the right frame of mind.  When I finally started reading Consolation one night, I woke up the next morning to six scrunched up tissues beside my bed.  Yeah, I love a book that can rip my heart out and bring out such strong emotions in me and Corinne did not disappoint.

Natalie is a grieving widow by the age of 27 and a single mother to her unborn child.  Her husband and ex-Navy SEAL, Aaron, was killed by an IED in Afghanistan while working for Cole Security Forces.  She spends six months mourning the loss of her husband while taking care of their little girl, trying to pretend to everyone that she’s fine.  But she’s not fine, she’s barely existing.  Until one day Aaron’s best friend, Liam, arrives after being transferred to SEAL Team Four in Virginia.  His loyalty to his best friend has him helping Natalie with anything she and Aarabelle needs.

Natalie and Liam have known each other for years, but they have never thought about each other in that way.  Natalie was totally devoted to Aaron and given that Liam’s job is dangerous, he prefers not to have a family waiting back home for him to return.  But as they spend more time together, their feelings change and grow into something more.  They both fight it, afraid they’re betraying Aaron for even thinking about seeing where this could go.  Natalie also struggles with the idea of a relationship with another SEAL, while Liam adjusts to the idea of having an instant family.

Natalie:  I think of the letter he wrote urging me to love again.  Could I give another man a chance to hold me like this?  Right now…I don’t know.  But being in Liam’s embrace makes me want to be open to the idea.

My heart broke for Natalie at the beginning of the book, but my heart broke for Liam at the end.  Liam is a definite winner in this book.  He’s so sweet, caring, loyal and patient.  Liam’s love for both Natalie and Aarabelle shine through and the ending absolutely broke my heart for him.

Liam:  “When we make love for the first time, when I claim you, it’s not going to be because you want to forget.  It’s going to be because you want me.”

This book will have you crying right from the start.  Most of my crying was done in the first 30% of the book.  I cried when Natalie is told that Aaron has been killed.  I cried at his funeral.  I cried over that damn letter from Aaron so much it took me several attempts just to get through it.  It was that beautiful.

Consolation is book 1 of the Consolation Duet, with Conviction coming out May 27, 2015.  Fair warning, this does end with a cliffhanger that will leaving you wanting to pull your hair out while you silently rock in a corner of the room.  You’ll hate the fact that you’ll have to wait until the end of May to find out what happens.  But I’m told good things come to those who wait.  To be honest, fuck the good things, I just want to know what happens right now.  I don’t think my heart can take a two month wait.

Liam:  “I love you.  I love every part of you.  I wanted to fight it, but I can’t fight you.  You’re supposed to be mine and I won’t lose you.”

Consolation

My Rating:  5 Hearts

Buy Links:
Amazon.com:  Consolation
Amazon.ca:  Consolation
Amazon.uk:  Consolation
Amazon.au:  Consolation
B&N:  Consolation

Visit Corinne Michaels:  Click Here

 

The Belonging Duet

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By Corinne Michaels

BR The Belonging Duet

Wow!!!  Talk about a story that rips your heart out right from the start.

Meet Catherine, a publicist for one of the premier companies in Manhattan who seems to get shit on by all the men in her life, starting with her father at age nine and ending most recently with her douche-bag fiancé, Neil.  During a night out with friends, she stumbles into Jackson and is instantly attracted to him.  But she’s still recovering from her horrific break-up with Neil, so she walks away thinking she’ll never see him again.  Right???

Wrong.  Guess who’s the new CEO of the big PR account she’s just won?  You guessed it: Jackson.  Attempts to remain professional don’t last long and she quickly ends up working not only the account, but the hot and sexy CEO as well.  The Belonging Duet is made up of Beloved and Beholden and follows their relationship from all the ups and downs, to the personal tragedies, to the decisions that could make or break them.

Jackson is amazing.  He’s an ex Navy SEAL that is currently the CEO of two companies: Cole Security Forces and Raven Cosmetics.  He is also a man who seems to carry the weight of the world on his shoulders.  He blames himself for the deaths of those he’s loved and served with and no-one can tell him otherwise.  But he is one hot man and his dirty talk is beyond panty melting.  He’s funny, kind, loyal, protective and the perfect amount of alpha-male.

Jackson:  “I love you and I’ll try not to make you stab me in the leg.”

Catherine broke my heart and I felt for her right from the beginning.  She starts out broken and vulnerable, but she becomes stronger with each turn of the page, making life-changing decisions for herself and even getting some payback to at least one person who deserved it.  She has an amazing support system in her friends Ashton and Gretchen and eventually starts to heal her old wounds.

Catherine:  I don’t know if I’m ready to sleep with him, but if he kisses like that, I can only imagine what he fucks like.

I could not figure out what the heck was up with Neil and Piper.  Neil was such a prick, so cruel to Catherine over and over again, and Piper was so bitchy and vindictive.  They were all friends at one point in their pasts, but Neil and Piper experienced pure joy at continuously hurting Catherine.  Personally, I would love to find out why they both acted that way, because I can’t think of a single reason why.  For me, that felt like a really loose end and it bugs me that it was not resolved.

This book has a little bit of everything: the villains that make you want commit totally justifiable murder; the loyal friends who will always support you no matter what; humour, conflict, suspense and sexy times; and most importantly a very very nice HEA.  I was shocked to see the epilogue is seven years later, but it finishes the story perfectly.

For a debut novel it’s amazingly well written, and Corinne must have amazing Beta Readers and Editors because I did not notice one spelling, grammar or timeline mistake in the entire box set.  I would gladly read more books from her.  In fact, I’m already waiting for my copy of Consolation.

Jackson:  She’s every breath I breathe, every beat of my heart, and I never want it to stop.

The Belonging Duet

My rating:  5 Hearts

Buy Links:
Amazon.com:  The Belonging Duet
Amazon.ca:  The Belonging Duet
Amazon.uk:  The Belonging Duet
Amazon.au:  The Belonging Duet
B&N:  The Belonging Duet

Visit Corinne Michaels:  Click Here

 

Eyes Turned Skyward

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By Rebecca Yarros

BR Eyes Turned Skyward

Oh!  My!  God!  Eyes Turned Skyward.  What can I say other than it’s another fantastic and emotional read from Rebecca Yarros.

Eyes Turned Skyward is the story of Paisley and Jagger.  Paisley lost her older sister to an undiagnosed heart condition, a genetic condition that Paisley shares. Since then her parents have effectively wrapped her in bubble wrap, doing anything they can to make sure she doesn’t suffer the same fate.  But then, what’s life if you can’t live it?

Sneaking off to Florida with her best friend, she’s rescued by Mr California, aka Jagger.  After taking her to a clinic to make sure she’s ok, both come to the realisation that they’ll never see each other again and reluctantly part ways.  But Fate has other plans: Jagger is attending flight school at Fort Rucker; Paisley is the commanding general’s daughter; and her boyfriend is Jagger’s biggest rival.  Paisley can’t deny (although she sure does try) her attraction to Jagger, and Jagger decides he doesn’t care that she has a boyfriend.  She will be his.  Both will risk their future and their hearts, one more so than the other.

I loved Paisley and Jagger: Paisley for her strength, strong will and sense of right and wrong; and Jagger for his loyalty, kindness and sense of humour.  Of course it doesn’t hurt that he’s smokin’ hot, great in bed and out of it and so goddamn sweet.

Jagger:  “I know you from your soul to your skin.  Just being friends with you…I’ve never been more intimate with a woman, and that includes every girl I’ve ever had sex with.”

And this little gem had me laughing so much, only because Paisley soooo didn’t want to admit her feelings.

Paisley:  “I love him so stupid much.”

So there’s a funny story about this book.  I was on Amazon looking over my recommended reads when Eyes Turned Skyward popped up in my viewer.  I read the synopsis for this and my initial thought was “Sounds ok, but I think I’ll wait a while before I buy this one.”.  About two weeks later I was going through my iPad looking for my favourite books, to find their authors and see if they had anything recently released or soon to be released.  When I realised that this book was from the same author that brought me Full Measures, (a book that had me crying from the beginning for like…AN HOUR!) I knew I had to have it and bought it immediately.

Rebecca, I’ve committed your name to memory, so rest assured when I see it on the front cover, it’s going straight into my To Be Read collection.

So there’s just a couple of things to be mindful of:

1     If you’re going to read this book, please have tissues nearby.  You’ll probably need them.
2     Jagger was introduced in Full Measures, and there are characters from that book mentioned in this book.  That being said, you can read this as a stand-alone, so you don’t have to rush out and read Full Measures first.  But my personal recommendation is to read Full Measures anyway.  It’s an amazing and emotional read, so well written you wouldn’t believe it was her debut novel.  Tissues will definitely be required for that one.  Don’t say I didn’t warn you.

Jagger:  “You are as much a part of me as my own heart, and it doesn’t beat without you.” 

Eyes Turned Skyward

My rating:  5 Hearts

Buy Links:
Amazon.com:  Eyes Turned Skyward
Amazon.ca:  Eyes Turned Skyward
Amazon.uk:  Eyes Turned Skyward
B&N:  Eyes Turned Skyward
Kobo:  Eyes Turned Skyward

Visit Rebecca Yarros:  Click Here

 

Locke (Corps Security # 5)

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By Harper Sloan

RBTS Locke

This is the final book and one I have been waiting for since reading the first book of the series which is still my favourite being Axel.  Locke has been a integral part of each of the four books and whilst early on I kept on hoping he was the next of the series I now understand why his was kept for last.  It was actually really fitting in a way as he did have integral parts in each characters love story.

Can I just say though, Locke was just so demanding and dominating and my absolute favourite in the bedroom type of way.  He loved to spank Emmy and wow he was pierced too, so you can imagine the outcomes for Emmy!  He was really alpha male and this story really was just for him and Emmy.  Whereas the others of the Corps Security Series really involved all the major players.

The big factor in me recommending this series to you is that in an amazing surprise at the end of this book, was that the author took us way into the future and she also closed off all the other main characters and gave us closure for them.  You don’t get that often in many series, you sometimes sit there with some characters and wonder what happened to them and their babies.

This series is one of my go to to feel good, I have already read Axel like three times – it is so worth it.

My rating:

4 Hearts

Purchase from amazon-logo:  Locke

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The Vixen And The Vet (A Modern Fairytale # 1)

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By Katy Regnery

RBTS The Vixen and the Vet

The Vixen and the Vet is a beautiful story about two people who have come home to lick their wounds. Ash returned home nearly a decade ago disfigured from his military service and living the life of a hermit. Savannah has just returned home after losing her reporting job after being betrayed by her lover/source. A second chance for Savannah presents itself, if she can get a story from Ash about his service and subsequent treatment from his hometown residents.

What happens instead is two beautiful people falling in love, each a balm to the others wounds. Ash’s character is so believable and so easily likeable. Of course, there has to be a bad spell before the HEA, but what I liked about this book is that the bad spell isn’t fixed by the next page, or even the page after that. It’s slowly resolved over several pages and several weeks which makes it more believable.

This is the first book I’ve read from this author and I would read it again. However, I decided to try her The English Brothers series and so far the series has nothing on this book.

My rating:

5 Hearts

Purchase from  amazon-logo:  The Vixen and the Vet

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