Category Archives: 4 stars

4 stars, Book Review

Teach Me Sweetly by Abby Gale Review

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When I accepted the teaching position in a town the size of my thumb, 
all I cared about was making some money until I was ready to pursue my dream. 

My time here was supposed to have an expiration date. 
My plan was simple.

Until her.
The girl with a cupcake and fascinating sadness.
Her beauty got my attention first, then her loneliness and melancholy captivated me. 
Her words and pain fed my interest, but it was her heart that sealed my fate. 

I came to this town with no expectations. 
But I didn’t know my dream and muse was waiting for me in a school uniform. 

— Goodreads — Amazon — Bookbub —


Abby Gale is an international author. She is an avid reader, former blogger, and a pharmacist. She writes whatever storyline sucks her in, but mostly her books will be erotica with some darkness in it.

— Goodreads — Amazon — Facebook — Newsletter — Website —

Oh Lord, guys. I gotta tell ya, this one got me. It hooked me into its depths, but it wasn’t from the first pages. In the beginning, I wasn’t sure how I felt about it. Maybe that’s why it took me a little longer to get into the book than some others. It’s taboo, but that initial “OMG HE’S IN A POSITION OF POWER IDK HOW I FEEL ABOUT THAT” is completely and utterly destroyed when you realize just how much sway Eva has over Elijah.

Eva: rich girl, with a tragic past. Adrift in the midst of high school and coming of age alone in the world, she’s looking for something she hasn’t had at home or school for as long as she can remember. She’s heartbroken, looking for someone to show her she’s not broken.

Elijah: struggling writer (I think there’s a majority of us out there that can relate) who falls back on a job he doesn’t want. He comes in to sub in a high school classroom as an English teacher. He doesn’t want the job, but he’s got bills to pay. Bills that won’t get paid at a diner in Seattle.

Eva and Elijah don’t meet at school, but they do see each other again there. They met once, though nothing transpired of it. Eva’s already got a bad reputation around town, one she hasn’t earned, but one she wraps around her like a second skin in the hopes her parents will notice her. Elijah wants to peel back her layers, but uh… he’s her new teacher.

Throughout the novel, despite their initial attraction, there’s a push and pull between the two. Elijah, because he can’t mess this job up. Eva, because she thinks she’s not worth it, that Elijah is like the rest of the people in her life. But the two are inevitably drawn together. With tender, gentle moments that will make you swoon, mixed with rough, dirty, naughty “adult time” that proves that love can be raw and sweet at the same time.

Teach Me Sweetly was raw and emotional. Eva had bits and pieces of the hormonal teenager outlook, but it felt real. It wasn’t over the top or dramatic. She had reasons for every thing she did and felt. Elijah struggles with his attraction, like any grown male in his position would do, but he genuinely loves Eva and wants to help chase the shadows from her eye. He protects her in an alpha way, but shows her the tenderness and affection she’s missing.

I gave this four stars because there were a lot of tense changes that made it hard to follow. That might change with editing if there’s still some left to do, and I fully understand this is an ARC, but still, it threw me off. (I’m also not an English major or editor. So it’s possibly just me.) I’d love a second in this series, showing them struggle through the next part of their lives together.

Ultimately, this book was gripping. I loved every second I devoured this. Once you’re in it, you’re in it. And there’s no getting out.

4 stars, Book Review

Taking Shelter by BJ Bentley Review

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Welcome to Medicine Wheel, Montana.

Would her first love still want her after she’d slept with the enemy?

Pretty and popular, Emma Jean was the belle of the ball in high school, but while waiting for her prince to make a move, she fell in love with the beast. 

Beaten down, battered, and broken, Emma Jean has finally had enough.
Cutting the ties that bind won’t be easy, especially when the enemy comes looking for her. 

Noah fell in love with his sister’s best friend in high school, but his hesitation cost him, and he lost his first love to a monster.

Determined to keep her safe, can he prove to her that belonging to him means peace instead of pain and love instead of fear?

— Goodreads — Amazon — Bookbub —

From her Amazon: I’m a psychic medium, romance author, and cat mom. I shamelessly based my character, Sabrina Rhodes, on myself (write what you know, and all that.) Weaknesses include alpha males and badass babes.
The Intuitive series is a collection of rom-com novellas, and I’m also working on a full-length dark romance novel.
I’m very active on social media, so feel free to stalk me! (Please stalk me, this is a cry for attention.)
Follow me!

—  Facebook — Twitter —  Instagram —  Website — Amazon—  BookBub  —


Love is a fickle thing. It’s hard work, and it’s a lot of work. Sometimes, we find someone we think is worthy of our love. We put so much time and devotion into this person, we can ignore the signs. We may see that darkness in them, but we believe we can fix someone, help them get better; We can be the person that chases away the clouds from their eyes. Be the light to their dark. And then they change. Something in them flips. The person we fell in love with wholeheartedly is someone different, and scary.

This is what happened to Emma Jean. She long ago fell in love with the football superstar. She pushed her feelings for long time crush Noah away, and went on a date that sealed her fate. Almost seven years later, she escaped the hell that had become her life before she even realized what was happening. What once was love became bitter hatred and fear.

Noah has long harbored feelings for his Sunshine. At one time, he believed he’d have his chance when Cody showed his true nature, but by then it was too late for his Emma and their love. Seven years later, he never let that love go. Never found someone who could encompass the love he felt for Emma. When the opportunity presents itself to not only save Emma from her hell, but also give their chemistry a chance to blossom, Noah takes it.

Emma has a long road ahead of her. Not only does she need to learn to love herself, she has to discover who she is. The path she was on long ago was deviated, so what did she do with her path suddenly wide open again? Her friends don’t let her hide, and neither does Noah. But does loving Noah mean losing herself? Again?

Noah’s road is more like a mountain to climb. He has to show Noah she’s worthy of love from those surrounding her, as well as worthy of being the woman she would have been had Cody not lured her into his clutches. He’s a determined alpha, possessive, but understanding of her plight. He may be a crazed man when it comes to his girl, but he knows she needs her independence, and doesn’t try to put her in the “victim” box.

This book was emotional, with the same blending of past and present the first in the series, Coming Home, had. It was full of sweet, tender moments, as well as ones that allowed Emma Jean to take back her life and sexuality.

This was four stars instead of five for me because ultimately, I would have liked to have seen more of Emma’s past with Cody. She had no money, no job, no way to get out. But why did she fall in love with him? What drew her in? We saw few of the interactions between the couple, but I felt left out of Emma’s personal bubble and I wanted more of it.

Though that’s really no different from any other book. I always want more, and a book with a woman who suffered from abuse? You could write a whole book just on that.

4 stars, Book Review, Uncategorized

Undeniably Yours by Mallory Funk Review

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arcblurb40519551Undeniably Yours
Five years ago, I met a man who gave me a night I would never forget.
Forgetting him was impossible with his likeness running around my house every day.
It wasn’t until I took a job in a different town that life gave us another chance.
This time we weren’t going to screw it up. This time I knew his name and who he belonged to.
Revenge threatens to tear us apart, and I want to run away from everything that had come to mean so much to me.
There was no question in his mind of who I belonged to.
There’s nothing wrong with living in denial

— Goodreads — Amazon —

aboutheauthor

malloryfunk

I have always loved writing. It wasn’t until recently I decided to put my stories into words. I have the support of my husband and family to follow through with my own book. I always loved to share my work with people and now I’m glad I can share it with more than my family and friends.

I am married with two children under the age of four. I spent my days writing, reading and with my kids. I have always loved to write since I was a little girl. It wasn’t until I started reading all the time that I decided to put my words to ‘paper’ so to speak.

I am the youngest of three girls but my family extends beyond that!

— Goodreads — Amazon — Facebook — Bookbub —

reviewundeniablyyours1

Boy meets girl, girl meets boy. They have one wild night together and go there separate ways, planning to look back on that night with a smile and the memories.

But they got sooooo much more.

Olivia wasn’t looking for anything but a good time. She had plans and a future ahead of her that she wasn’t willing to risk by settling down. By life laughed and laughed at her after a one night stand turned into single mother hood. But, being the woman she was, she embraced it with her whole heart. She never got the man’s name, but had fond memories of him. She’d tried to find him, but didn’t know how. But 5 years, a sweet little boy, a new job, and a big move later, and she finds the man that gave her the best gift she was never asking for.

Aiden a.k.a. Steal, wasn’t planning on settling down. He was extremely happy with his life, and had no plans to have a wife and kids. He was fine letting his brother and sister be the baby making factories. But life laughed and laughed at him as the woman that has haunted his dreams shows up after five years… with a child. His child. Things shifted into focus for him. While getting a good ribbing from his brothers and family about how he went from “I never want kids” to having a kid in the matter of hours, Aiden takes to fatherhood like a BOSS.

Aiden and Olivia have ups and downs, but they try to make it work for Hale. Neither of them want to have a poor relationship that would make it harder on their son. But while Olivia is cautious, Aiden is full steam ahead. He knows what he wants and he isn’t letting this woman slip through his fingers again.

….until the sins of the past come to haunt them both.

Olivia and Aiden were very realistic in their reactions, despite Aiden being a super alpha he was the kind that would actually probably work in real life. This book had moments that made me smile, and moments that wrecked me. But it was undoubtedly, an amazing read. I was slightly disappointed at first that this book wasn’t Aiden’s brother’s story, but I’m still hoping that book 3 will be his. There’s something there that I need to know.

GIVE IT TO ME WOMAN.

Anyways, this book will leave you going WTF and wanting to shake Olivia, while swooning over Aiden’s super dad abilities. So trust me, you’re gonna want to read it!

undeniablyyours24star

4 stars, Book Review

Fighting Vegas by Ember-Raine Winters Review

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arcblurbfightingvegasCliff

Coming out would ruin his career, but I was done hiding in his closet. Fed up with the games and being a dirty little secret, I did the only thing I could. I left. But fate’s a cruel bitch and my latest job puts me back in his sights.

Randy

I couldn’t give him what he needed. So I let him walk away and focused my attention on the only other thing I love, fighting. Seeing him again, I realize my mistake. I want him. Always. And I’ll do whatever it takes to keep him this time.

Can a closeted MMA fighter go against everything he knows to have the flamboyant designer he needs?

— Goodreads — Amazon — Barnes and Nobles —

aboutheauthoremberraineEmber-Raine Winters lives in sunny California with her two beautiful kids and a wolf. Also known as Apache her pure white Siberian Husky. She loves writing romance and reading just about anything she can get her hands on. And, football! She loves watching football and going to games. It’s one of her favorite ways to unwind. She dislikes the super-hot temperatures in her city and exercise. She hates to exercise but somehow her sister still gets her to do it every day. She also thinks it’s completely awkward talking about herself in third person. Ember loves connecting with readers so don’t be afraid to stalk her and drop her a line on social media.

— Goodreads — Facebook — Amazon — Website —

reviewfightingvegas1

This is only my second book from Ember, but she’s quickly becoming one of my go-to authors, especially for MM. I absolutely adored Cliff and Randy’s story. I loved Cliff’s flamboyant attitude, and Randy’s super alpha personality. I loved the representation of homophobia in the world of fighting. I loved everything about this book.

I haven’t read the others in the series, so I don’t know the other characters (but Lordy do I want to now!)  This was my first interaction with the fiesty, flirty Cliff. He was everything I always wanted in a friend: The person to tell you NOT to wear something because YES it makes you look fat, helps you decorate your house, but also is there for you no matter what.

Randy was the guy I would love to lust over: broody, alpha with a past that makes you want to hug him and never let him go. An MMA fighter forced into the closet because his career would suffer if he ever came out of the closet, and in love with a man that doesn’t want to be someone’s dirty little secret. A year before, Randy chose his career over Cliff. But after a year of misery, he sees Cliff again and needs to make a choice: The fear of losing his career forever, or losing Cliff forever.

What will he choose?

This book had it all; heartbreak, love, amazing sex scenes, a crazy ex, and MORE. Oh yes, I said MORE. What I loved about Professor Hot Pants was the inclusion of people’s homophobia and how it affects the relationship and the people. I loved it even more in Fighting Vegas. We love to read romances with everyone accepting the couple, especially for MM because it’s freaking life, people love who they love. But it’s not reality.

The reason this is four stars and not five is because I felt like it moved too fast. This book was jam packed with lots of action, but sometimes it felt like you were just processing something before it was over and something else was happening.

Overall though, amazing book, amazing love, and amazing characters. LOVE.

fightingvegas24star

**All images are from freeimages.com and pexels.com and all fonts are from CreativeMarket.com. For more info on the fonts and images used, please email caitscreatures@gmail.com**
4 stars, Book Review

Accidentally Yours by Mallory Funk Review

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arcblurbaccidentallyyoursAll I wanted was a baby.
Simple, right?
The plan was to get sperm and have a baby.
Sometimes plans don’t always go how we expect them to.
I didn’t know one phone call could change my life,
I didn’t know the deep voice on the other end would be the man I would end up with for the rest of my life.
One mix up at the sperm bank and I am now stuck with a man who I have never met before.
Someone who I have never had sex with, but I’m carrying his baby.
Sometimes accidents happen for a reason, right?

— Goodreads — Amazon — Bookbub —

aboutheauthormalloryfunkI have always loved writing. It wasn’t until recently I decided to put my stories into words. I have the support of my husband and family to follow through with my own book. I always loved to share my work with people and now I’m glad I can share it with more than my family and friends.

I am married with two children under the age of four. I spent my days writing, reading and with my kids. I have always loved to write since I was a little girl. It wasn’t until I started reading all the time that I decided to put my words to ‘paper’ so to speak.

I am the youngest of three girls but my family extends beyond that!

— Goodreads — Amazon — Facebook — Bookbub —

reviewaccidentally

Normally when I see a title with “Accidentally” in it, I question how “accidental” it is. How do you accidentally fall in love? End up accidentally married? Even if you got drunk in Vegas it wasn’t an accident. It was just the alcohol talking. Name your book “Drunk in Love” or something. However, this blurb intrigued me like no other. So I read it, and I loved it.

Ella lost the love of her life right after she found out they were pregnant after going to get fertility treatments. But it turns out there was a mix-up at the sperm bank, so she didn’t receive some anonymous donor’s, she received Damien’s. Even though she could have moved on with her life, and ignored the phone call that sent her life into another tailspin, but she didn’t. Being the woman she is, she wants to make sure she gives Damien a chance to know his son or daughter. Along the way she finds more than just love.

Damien, who did not donate his sperm, is a member of the Vicious Snakes MC. One look at Ella, and he wants to know everything he can about her. Her body draws him in, but it’s her heart that keeps him. He loses interest in the club girls, in any of the girls, and focuses on his baby mama. (So yes, this novel is safe.)

One of the things I loved about this book is purely Damien. He is 100% invested in Ella from the start. He can be a grade-A jerk to everyone around him, but behind closed doors he shows Ella who he truly is. He’s her protector, her lover, and most of all: her friend. There’s so much drama in this book, and a lot of it centers around Ella, but never once does he doubt her or stray from her.

I gave it four stars instead of 5 because there was a heavy emphasis on the er, position, the club “girls” had in the MC. It was just a little much for me. At first it was ok, but as the story went on it just became too much. However, the story is still really good. So you should definitely be reading this book. It’s free on Kindle Unlimited!

accidentally34star
**All images are from freeimages.com and pexels.com and all fonts are from CreativeMarket.com. For more info on the fonts and images used, please email caitscreatures@gmail.com**
4 stars, Book Review

Ain’t Doin’ It by Lani Lynn Vale Review

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arcblurbaintdoinitCoke Solomon has lived a full life.

He’s a retired army drill sergeant, so he is more than used to getting his way.

And if he can’t have it his way? Well, let’s just say that’s never happened before…

At least not until Cora Maldonado walks into his life, demanding he fall in line, or she’ll find a way to make his life hell.

He finds out fast that Cora marches to the beat of her own drum, and a lot of times that drum takes her farther away rather than closer to where he feels she needs to be.

He can’t stand it.

He wants her, and he has to have her.

It doesn’t matter that she’s twenty years younger than him, and has a father that would rather see him dead than have his baby girl anywhere near him. Nor does it matter that his ex-wife is highly offended that she’s been replaced with a much younger woman.

Despite the odds stacking against them, he’ll fight for what he wants.

His ex-wife, her father, and their age difference be damned.

— Goodreads — Amazon — Barnes and Nobles — Kobo —

aboutheauthorlanilynnvaleLani Lynn Vale is married to the love of her life that she met in high school. She fell in love with him because he was wearing baseball pants. Ten years later they have three perfectly crazy children and a cat named Demon who likes to wake her up at ungodly times in the night. They live in the greatest state in the world, Texas. She writes contemporary and romantic suspense, and has a love for all things romance. You can find Lani in front of her computer writing away in her fictional characters world…that is until her husband and kids demand sustenance in the form of food and drink.

— Goodreads — Amazon — Facebook — Bookbub — Reader’s Group —

reviewaintdoinit2

Single, sort-of alpha a-hole dad meets quirky, virgin animator that’s usually seen as just strange. Add in a ten year age gap, a crazy ex-wife, a failed kidnapping, and someone’s aversion to relationships, and you have the recipe for disaster… or happily ever after.

Ain’t Doin’ It was a sweet story with Cora’s weirdness drawing you in as easily as she draws her characters. Although Coke is a single dad, his daughter is closer to Cora’s age (she’s in her early twenties, Coke’s daughter is 17), allowing them to bond more like friends than mother/daughter. Cora is compassionate, loving, and a little more reserved due to her upbringing. She doesn’t express herself well in person, so she pours herself and her feelings into her artwork. But she ain’t weak that’s for sure. Coke’s desire to stay single is because of a crazy ex-wife, who’s seriously off her rocker. It doesn’t happen all at once, but through Coke’s resolve, Cora worms her way into his heart little by little (like we all knew she would, I mean seriously.)

Why is this book 4 stars and not 5? For a couple reasons. One, the blurb is seriously misleading. The age gap is not that big. I believe it’s only ten years. Am I being picky because of this? Maybe, but blurbs lead you to read the book and this one doesn’t accurately depict the novel. Two, this book was mostly fluff. Sure, there was drama, but it moved past everything so quickly you didn’t really have time to comprehend what was happening. There was just a lot of sex. The oomph I wanted just seemed to be missing.

Despite these, this book deserves every star I gave it. It’s well written, and cute. There’s also the mental illness factor. I’ve only read 2 Lani novels (I know! Shame!) and both have had, what seems to me, like well researched problems. They weren’t thrown out there for the hell of it, but added another dynamic to the characters. There comes a sort of normalization with adding this layer. They characters aren’t crazy, and aren’t made out to be crazy, and they don’t make excuses for themselves, but have identified their problems and learn to lead well rounded lives with them. And their significant others try to understand them as best as possible, even though it takes experiencing it to truly understand it. It helps create not-so-perfect characters living with things that are common, yet taboo to talk about.

Overall, this will not be my last Lani book.

aintdoinit34star**All images are from freeimages.com and pexels.com and all fonts are from CreativeMarket.com. For more info on the fonts and images used, please email caitscreatures@gmail.com**
4 stars, Book Review

The Theory of Unrequited by Len Webster Review

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arcblurbttouAtomic number: 8
Name of chemical element: Oxygen
Symbol: O

Every theory has a test subject … even between best friends.

The pact: Stanford.
The betrayal: AJ attending Duke.
The reason: She did something stupid like fall in love with Evan.
The problem: Evan’s not ready to let this betrayal go so easily.
The solution: Find AJ and fix them.

The Theory of Unrequited, Book One in The Science of Unrequited: The Story of AJ & Evan

— Goodreads — Amazon — Kobo — B&N —

aboutheauthorlenwebsterLen Webster is a romance-loving Melburnian with dreams of finding her version of ‘The One.’ But until that moment happens, she writes. Having just completed her BBusCom from Monash University, Len is now busy writing her next romance about how a boy met a girl, and how they fell completely and hopelessly in love.

 

 

 

— Goodreads — Amazon — Facebook — Readers Group — Twitter — Instagram — Website —

reviewttou2

If you like angsty, young adult novels, you will love this book. AJ and Evan have been friends for as long as they can remember. AJ always picked Evan: over school, over Evan’s brother, over her dreams: over everything. Evan hasn’t quite caught up to AJ’s level of devotion yet.

Alexandra has always loved Evan, but somewhere along the way she fell in love with him. So much so, her senior year is filled with pain and heartache as she watches Evan continuously put others before her. She gazes into his eyes and sees love, but not the kind she feels. She hears his words, and reminds herself she means everything to Evan as his best friend. After a devastating year and prom (WHAT HAPPENED AT PROM??) she decides to break all the promises she once made to him, in order to find herself again.

Evan has always loved AJ, which is why her betrayal hurts so much. She is his entire world, and he doesn’t know who he is without her. He doesn’t understand why others seem to know his best friend better than he does. Because while AJ has been closing off her heart to Evan, he’s been trying to protect her from someone who should have been trying to protect her too.

Most of the drama in this book is internal. It is the fight to find yourself with out the one you love. It’s the fight to understand why it hurts so much not to have someone in your life. It’s the painful truth you fell in love with your best friend, and they don’t reciprocate the same feelings. It’s having your life intertwined with someone, only to realize you can’t live with them.

The reason this is four stars and not five isn’t because it’s not a good book. Len’s writing is fabulous and she weaves a tale of heartache, pain, and betrayal so amazingly, you’re sucked into the world that she created, effortlessly. However, I feel like most of the drama could have been avoided had AJ done one thing: COMMUNICATED. I get it, you don’t want to lose your best friend and tell them how you feel and they don’t feel the same. But the other stuff? She could have just talked to him about half of what she was feeling.

AND THE SAME GOES FOR EVAN.
ttou34star
**All images are from freeimages.com and pexels.com and all fonts are from CreativeMarket.com. For more info on the fonts and images used, please email caitscreatures@gmail.com**
4 stars, Book Review

Sleight of Hand by BJ Bentley Review!

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newarcbannerblurbsleightofhandBERTIE

I grew up on the streets, a product of someone else’s bad choices.
I clawed, fought, and stole in order to survive.
You’d think growing up that way would make me tough. Make me hard.
Truth was, I wanted to do good.
But doing good brought me something very, very bad.

ALEKSANDER

You could say I had it all. Money. Respect. Women.
The fear of those beneath me.
I had everything I wanted.
But I had an obsession that became a need.
I knew what I needed, and what I needed was her.

Aleksander Magnus is one-third of the Syndicate. A criminal CEO who thrives on control. So, when he meets Bertie, his sparrow, will he give in to the desire to cage his little bird, or will he open his heart and allow them both to fly free?

— Goodreads — Amazon — Barnes & Nobles —

author29136192_175603263078789_8700093008424468480_nFrom her Amazon: I’m a psychic medium, romance author, and cat mom. I shamelessly based my character, Sabrina Rhodes, on myself (write what you know, and all that.) Weaknesses include alpha males and badass babes.
The Intuitive series is a collection of rom-com novellas, and I’m also working on a full-length dark romance novel.
I’m very active on social media, so feel free to stalk me! (Please stalk me, this is a cry for attention.)
Follow me!

—  Facebook — Twitter —  Instagram —  Website — Amazon—  BookBub  —reviewsleightofhand1

Alright, ok, I can totally write this review and not fan girl too much. Right? Right. Ok. Here goes nothin’.

ALEKSANDER is the devil and I freaking love it. He may not be your typical mafioso, but he is definitely uber powerful in his business. We met him in Finders Keepers, and if you read it, you know there were some super trigger warnings. Now, there aren’t really triggers in this book (maybe? everyone’s are different), but it really depends on your definition of safe. Aleks isn’t one to believe in that love at first sight, junk. And he’s not going to let a little girl that he wants more than anything, come in between him and his empire.

*snort*

Roberta, BERTIE, is a strong independent who don’t need no man, and she doesn’t want one. And she’s so good at her job, she sends Aleks on a merry little chase. (Yes, the Aleks that’s all “I’m a big CEO, I don’t want love” Aleks.) She is sassy and fierce, and she’s smart as hell. She’s good at running, hiding, stealing, and eating pie (trust me, that’s important). She is a hell of a survivor, and learned early on she could only count on herself. But something in her says to go to Aleksander, and she firmly shuts that down in her head.

These two burn up the sheets as much as they burn the world. I love BJ Bentley’s heroines because they’re not weak damsels in distress. Bertie makes sure to mark her territory (Aleks) as much as Aleks does the same. Neither are afraid of pleasure, and Aleks teaches Bertie new ways to explore her own pleasure, and the pain/pleasure combo. There are some Dom/sub vibes in here. Aleks isn’t making Bertie kneel whenever he enters the room or anything, but there is a definite box their relationship is in.

At first, because Bertie is Bertie, she resists the kind of pleasure Aleks can give her by owning every inch of her, but it just added to the dynamics of their relationship. They are both possessive of the other, which translates into some really sexy times in the sheets… and out of them.

And good lord the drama! Bertie, just like Charlotte once did, gets herself into some nasty situations. Lucky for her, she’s not part of the family, and nobody messes with the family (get it?!). Aleks fell down the same rabbit hole that Jensen did, and fell in love with a woman not afraid to get dirty. I actually think it’s a necessity for me to have an epilogue or novella somewhere to show how these women are changing the Syndicate because I guarantee they help the guys… not that the guys want their girls doing any work.

Ok, I’m getting a little talkative, and at this point I don’t know what to say other than READ THE BOOK YOU WILL LOVE IT.  You may hate Aleks sometimes, and wonder what the heck Bertie is doing, but BJ Bentley keeps true to who her characters are. This work, this series so far, is authentic and bloody and I love it. I cannot wait to see what the series brings because I need it!

sleightofhand24star

4 stars, Book Review

Just Say Yes by Samantha Lind Review

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newarcbannerblurbjustsayyesWhat will it take for her to Just Say Yes?

Scott Taylor has the perfect life. He gets to fulfill his dream playing professional hockey, has a loving family, and a tight group of friends. But the one thing missing in his life is a partner to come home to. He knows exactly who he wants to fill that position– the only woman he has ever loved. The one who got away, who constantly consumes his every thought. What it would take to get her to Just Say Yes to a second chance?

Becca Phillips is an independent woman who has made her career as an ER nurse a priority in her life. She has a loving family and a best friend by her side, but she can’t seem to get over her first love, Scott. Insecurities led her to break up with him years ago when he started climbing the ranks in professional hockey and, for eight years, Becca has avoided Scott when he returns home each summer. Can she overcome her fears and allow love back into her life? All she has to do is Just Say Yes to the one and only man she has ever loved.

— Goodreads — Amazon — Barnes & Nobles — Kobo —

authorsamanthalindSamantha Lind is a contemporary romance author. Having spent the first 27 years of her life in Alaska, she now calls Iowa home where she lives with her husband and two sons. She enjoys spending time with her family, traveling, reading, watching hockey, and listening to country music. She can be contacted via email, found on Facebook at  or at her website.

 

 

reviewjustsayyes2

I’ve only read one other book by Samantha Lind, Until You, and it was so sugary sweet I got a cavity… the good kind. If there was a good kind of cavity. Anyway, so I only read the one book and I wasn’t sure what to expect for Just Say Yes. Basically: it was just as sweet, if not sweeter. And I loved it!

Just Say Yes is a second chance, sports romance so strap on your ice skates and get ready for a book that will have you wanting more. Scott and Becca were high school sweet hearts that let Scott’s rise to athlete stardom come between them. While Scott was destined for the NHL, and made it into the minor leagues and beyond, Becca was young and didn’t know how to handle it. So they broke up and let ten years pass before trying to their relationship over again.

All the drama in this, which honestly isn’t much to begin with, has to do with outside forces. Once these two decide to give their relationship a shot, they do everything the can to make it work, and they are so cute! Their drama has to do with the distance these too have, since Scott lives mostly in Indianapolis and Becca lives in Alaska. So Becca and Scott have their trials and tribulations, but the years apart have shown them what and who they want, so they do everything they can to keep it.

I read a lot of dark romances, so Scott and Becca would have been the best pick me up after reading something that ripped my heart out over and over again. Becca was supportive and independent, and Scott had just enough alpha in him to make him possessive and supportive at the same time. In fact, one of my favorite parts about this novel, is that they were both so supportive of the other. They wanted the other to succeed, but they also wanted to be together, they just didn’t want to hinder the other’s career. As much as Scott wanted to drag Becca with him everywhere, he knew he couldn’t. He also didn’t want to, because her happiness meant more to him than anything else. They had to find the balance between happiness, living your dream, and being with the one you love.

This is the first in the Indianapolis Eagles series, and stay tuned! Book 3 comes out soon!!

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4 stars, Book Review

Staying in Vegas by Sam Mariano Review

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newarcbannerblurbstayinginvegasYou don’t want to miss what happens in Vegas…

When I met Rafe Morelli, he didn’t look like the biggest mistake I’d ever make; he seemed closer to the crime family version of Prince Charming. Charismatic, beautiful, and attentive—with an intoxicating air of power—Rafe was the stuff of my darkest fantasies.

What we had should have been a simple fling, no-strings-attached. My hot weekend with the sexy, dominant Vegas boss—a harmless memory to replay once I returned to my quiet, predictable life.

One tiny hitch in that plan: a panty-melting memory isn’t all he left behind. Now the stakes have changed, and I’m faced with a potentially life-altering decision. Do I stay away and enjoy my status as the only woman in known history who has played in the Morelli flames without getting burned, or do I risk everything and step back into the fire?

BOOK 1 OF 3 IN THE VEGAS MORELLI TRILOGY.

This trilogy can be read even if you haven’t read the original Morelli family series, but as it takes place AFTER that series, there will be Morelli family series spoilers. Two of the main characters from this trilogy were introduced in the original Morelli series. If you want to read the original series and experience it without spoilers, you may want to start there (with Accidental Witness).
Like the original Morelli family series, this trilogy is a continuing story following the same characters, NOT three separate-couple standalones.

— Goodreads — Amazon —

authorsammarianoFollow Sam Mariano on Facebook or check out her Blog! (She also recently opened an Instagram, sammarianobooks, if you’d like to follow there.) If you need to email her, she can be reached at sammarianoauthor@gmail.com (but she is sometimes tardy about checking email. Mateo is very demanding).

Sign up for Sam’s mailing list (to stay up to date on current projects–she won’t spam you! Only for notification of new releases or book sales.)

Because of You, Irreparable Damage, The Morelli Family Series, and Staying in Vegas are now available on Amazon! (And don’t forget to follow Sam’s Amazon Author page to get the newest releases.)

Sam Mariano has been writing stories for as long as she can remember. She lives in Ohio and has a sweet and wonderful daughter.
Because of You was her first finished story (she started writing it when she was 18) and due to a full-time work and college schedule, it took her years to finish. She has also been telling people for years that there would never be a sequel (sorry, guys!)…which turned out to be a lie.
Sam Mariano is currently working on the sequels to Irreparable Damage and Because of You.
Feel free to find her on Facebook, Goodreads, or her blog—she loves hearing from readers!reviewstayinginvegas2

Staying in Vegas was my first dip into the Morelli family and Sam Mariano. Although I am probably going to go back and read the Morelli family series from the beginning (especially Mateo because he seems scary and ruthless and my kinda guy!), I had no trouble keeping up with Rafe and Laurel’s story. Well, Rafe, Laurel, and Sin’s story. The first book in the probably dramatic trilogy constituted more of Laurel and Sin’s relationship than Rafe and Laurel’s.

After reading this book, and then trolling the reviews on Goodreads, there’s one thing we can all agree on about this book: keep an open mind. There’s some definite Dom/sub vibes happening, though because I’ve never read one of Sam’s books I couldn’t tell you how far those are going to go. The ultimate, descriptive love triangle is happening, between Laurel Sin and Rafe that makes me want to hate Laurel.

I hate love triangles, and this one went beyond “I like two guys.” Rafe messes up, REALLY badly, and Sin swoops in like a kidnapping savior. Rafe then realizes he messed up when he thinks Sin is sleeping with Laurel. It’s a triangle that makes me anxious in every way possible. And I wanted to hate Laurel so much for seeming wishy-washy. I wanted to hate Rafe for not swooping in sooner. I wanted to hate them both and throw the book!

But I. Just. Couldn’t.

I understood why Laurel was feeling the way she was, and I understood why Rafe was a major jackass. I understood so much, that all I could do was hope and pray for Rafe and Laurel to get together sooner rather than later. There is a part of me (the part that’s consumed by anxiety over THAT CLIFFHANGER and also the dynamic between Rafe, Sin and Laurel), that wants to skip the rest of the series and just go read the other Morelli books, forever forgetting about this triangle. You know what though? I probably won’t, because as much as Sam caused me pain with this story, I LOVED IT.

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**images used are from http://www.freeimages.com and all fonts are licensed, bought from http://www.creativemarket.com. For more info on the fonts used please contact me at caitscreatures@gmail.com**