Category Archives: 4 stars

Push the Envelope by Rochelle Paige

Looking for a college romance series? How about a free book with some insta-love but its full length? Then stop over to Amazon and check out Push the Envelope by Rochelle Paige.

blurb

pushtheenvelopeLooking for an alpha male in your new adult romance read?
You just found one.

“I love alpha males…. Yes I know Alpha males are the in thing but they need to be done right and in this book Drake is perfect.” -Aurora Rose Reynolds, New York Times & USA Today bestselling author of the Until Series

“Absolutely loved! I’m a sucker for the over the top, crazy in love alphas. You give me one of those and I’m sold.” -Harper Sloan, New York Times & USA Today bestselling author of the Corps Security Series
Alexa is just your average college junior, attending classes and piloting Mile High Club charter flights. Boys haven’t been on her radar for a couple years after a disastrous breakup with her high school sweetheart. Her plans to focus on school hit a bit of a snag when she meets bad-boy Drake Bennett and he sets his sights on making her his own.

Drake transferred to Blythe College for the rugby team, not for a new assortment of college girls. He’s sexy and cocky, and he attracts women like moths to a flame. When he meets Alexa, Drake knows he’s met his match. She tries to resist him, but Drake isn’t used to taking no for an answer.

This is the first book in the Blythe College series by Amazon Bestselling Author Rochelle Paige. Push the Envelope does not have a cliffhanger.
Warning: 18+ due to sexual content.

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author

rochellepaigeI absolutely adore reading – always have and always will. My friends growing up used to tease me when I would trail after them, trying to read and walk at the same time. If I have downtime, odds are you will find me reading or writing.

I am the mother of two wonderful sons who have inspired me to chase my dream of being an author. I want them to learn from me that you can live your dream as long as you are willing to work for it.

When I told my mom that my new year’s resolution was to self-publish a book in 2013, she pretty much told me “About time!”

 

review
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I am late to the game when it comes to Ms. Paige. I just recently found out that Rochelle Paige and Elle Christensen together write as Fiona Davenport(that has an AWESOME Mafia series that I adore and re-read every chance I get!) This book was free on Amazon so of course I grabbed it up. It’s got some of my favorite things: alphas, college romances, and girls that say HELL NO when a guy is being a dick. And Drake can be a dick of epic proportions.

Alexa and Drake feel an instant pull towards each other, but due to some miscommunication, Drake is rude to Alexa because he thinks she is with someone else. But when Drake finds out that Alexa is very single, he makes sure to wrap it up really quickly.  He makes sure every guy on campus knows there together. And short of tattooing across her forehead, he shows Alexa he’s in it for the long haul. Convincing Alexa of this is a different story.

I absolutely adored Alexa’s take-no-shit attitude and Drake’s alpha-machoness (is that even a word?). I loved Alexa’s relationship with her Dad, and her relationship with her best friend’s family. And I loved the drama! It was the kind of drama that makes you want to bash in Drake’s head, and shake Alexa, but also know that Alexa made smart decisions, while Drake was too busy coming to terms with his excess of emotions.

Plus, Alexa can fly a plane (thanks dad!) and uses that to pay for school. How? Mile-High Plane rides. That’s right ladies and gents, Alexa has a program that lets rich people pay to get their rocks off in the air for a few hours. Not only can Rochelle Paige write a really good book, she’s an entrepreneur. I don’t know if things like this exist, but they should.

And lord, that snippet at the end, it gives you Drake’s POV for some very important scenes. Basically, I loved everything about this book and it is FREE on Amazon! So go get your copy no!

Shoo! Go!
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4star

…But you can’t Hide

I received a copy of Run, Hide, Break & Chase, in exchange for honest reviews. Here’s my second one…

blurbhideIt was inevitable that Julia would run into Holden Saunders again. The one person she dreaded seeing and wanted to see the most.

He was still as gorgeous as the first time they had met. Muscular, tall, with his golden brown eyes that said more than what he spoke. They’re opposites in so many ways. He was closed off, and so utterly irritating the last time she was around him. He was rude and bossy but the one man she had been dreaming about for the last year.

Now that she’s back in Lakefield, Julia is getting to know the real Holden. He’s resorting to blackmail, physical dominance and isn’t listening to her protests. He’s the one that tempts her with his vulgar mouth and makes her body sing like no other man.

She can’t decide whether to punch him or kiss him. Maybe both.

They’re up against stalkers, the media, and a lot of bizarre circumstances as she makes a decision about her music career.

But he’s making his intent crystal clear: he’ll protect her, possess her, and make her beg.

Everyone hides something. Julia should know. She’s been trying to hide from her past for the last year. But this troublesome, mischievous man, may not let her hide any longer.

**Full-length standalone romance. 70,000+ words. No cheating, or cliffhangers with a Happily Ever After! Suggested 18+.

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author

Jennifer Vester is a romance author whose ambition is to entertain readers with off-beat female characters and the over-the-top alpha men that love them.

Her books revolve around romantic suspense with a little something for every reader. Always an HEA….(but look out for those twists!) It’s romance suspense after all.

The Lakefield series deals with some very serious subjects at times.

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review
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Julia and Holden were freaking hilarious. I’ve only read one other book from Jennifer Vester, but I honestly had no idea what to expect going into Hide. After finishing Run, I was excited to see how Julia and Holden got together, I just wasn’t expecting it to be a year after Run took place. But Julia needed that time to pretend to heal after everything that went down the year before. I say pretend, because I think she was just ignoring what had happened, not really dealing with it.

When Julia and Holden first met it was instant attraction, mixed with some fire and ice. Julia was all over the place hot, and Holden was literally known as Mr. Ice. Julia continues to believe they just wouldn’t work together, which is part of the reason it takes her a year to come back to Lakefield. What she wasn’t expecting, was to see the human side of Holden. The side that freaks out over her safety. The side that laughs and jokes with her. The side that is totally caveman. The side that is soft and gentle, with only her.

Julia didn’t stand a freaking chance.

One of the things I love about this book and the previous, is the humor infused within every page. Even in the times that are scary, the characters keep it from becoming too heavy. I love Julia’s constant references to having Holden admitted, and Holden flustering the heck out of Julia. These two were explosive in the best way.

Usually, I sympathize heavily with the heroine that has to deal with the alpha male-cause feminism. But in this case, I feel soooo bad for Holden. Julia would drive me to the insane asylum. But it was so funny! And Holden’s parents? I love them. (I’m hoping I see more of them in the next two books…)

My advice? Hop, skip and jump your way over to amazon to pick up this book! Join the Lakefield craziness!

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4star

I think everybody looks forward to the Summer

blurbSensual woman kissing her handsome husbandWhen Natalie Quimby started working as a third grade teacher she vowed to shed her socialite skin for good. And things were going great.

Enter tall, dark and handsome August Huffman. He’s everything Natalie wants in a man. There’s just one problem, he’s the father of one of her students.

Will Natalie finally find love, or is she doomed to repeat past mistakes?

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author

ellejefferson

I’ve been reading as long as I’ve been walking, though I never done the two together (I’m rather clumsy). With the birth of my second son I became a stay-at-home mom and found when the little one took a nap I had a WHOLE hour to myself.

I wanted nothing more than to escape for that hour and thus a love for writing was born.

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Holy fireworks, batman. This book has a single parent, ex-baby mama drama, and a hot daddy with an accent. Not just an accent, but an Irish/Scottish lilt, and if that doesn’t make you hot, I don’t know what will.

Natalie is a teacher who has a student, Thomas, that has been acting out. She schedules a meeting with Thomas’ parents, which is where she meets Mr. Tall-Dark and Handsome with an accent, August. August shows up late to the meeting, is a big ol’ Mr. Grumpy-pants, so returns later to apologize. These two have the instant connection, the instant love, they have to wait until Natalie is no longer Thomas’ teacher before they can get together.

The problem? Baby-mama is a grade A… well, you know. She causes major issues for this couple, because Natalie has a past. A past she has worked hard to move on from. She is a new person, who’s trying to make it work with a super hot dad.

I loved many things about this book. I loved the texting, I loved the drunk/hungover scenes, I loved the realness Elle Jefferson added into the insta-love factor, and I loved August’s unwillingness to give up. And when they get together, finally, it’s like fireworks and explosions and BOOM! I wish there was an epilogue (because, hello, I need more!) and I don’t know how old the characters are. Age is not important, but I don’t like trying to guess ages or do math to figure it out. I suck at math.

Elle’s contribution to the Happily Ever Alpha series was FAB! Thank you Elle!

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4star

Until Sunrise by Sarah O’Rourke Review

blurb

Michelle Buchanan wasn’t looking for the perfect man to fill her life.  She’d settle for Mr. Right Now to fill the empty spot in her bed – just someone that could help her with the little problem of her lingering virginity.  But when Luka Templeton invaded her blind date and suddenly begins taking over her every waking thought, she realizes that she is in way too deep with the confident alpha male currently wreaking havoc on her life.

Join us on this romantic comedy romp as Chelle and Luka find their way to happily ever after!           
Romantic comedy.  Releases on April 3 as part of Aurora Rose Reynold’s Happily Ever After Kindle World.  (And if you’ve read Aurora’s Until series, you’ll know Chelle from Until Ashlyn!)
AMAZON US

author

Sarah O’Rourke is actually TWO besties who live three states apart and write at all hours of the day and night! Born and raised in the Southern United States, they are overly attached to their one-click accounts, can’t make it through the day without copious doses of caffeine, and spend way too much time on the phone with each other.

Between them, they have four children and twenty-plus years of marriage…one to a retired super soldier and the other to egomaniac engineer. They hate empty chocolate wrappers and writer’s block, love to talk to readers…and oh, by the way, they write about strong, kick-ass women and hot alpha heroes!

FACEBOOK     TWITTER     AMAZON     WEBSITE     NEWSLETTER

review

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Not going to lie, even a little bit. I had another book I wanted to read today, because I’ve been waiting months for it to come out… and then the Happily Ever Alpha crew released a day early and I dropped everything to start reading… It’s 3AM and I’m up reading!

When I first heard this story was going to be titled Until Sunrise, I really didn’t get it. Most titles in this crossover series are pretty obvious- not this one. Once I got into it, I knew why it was. And I FREAKING LOVE IT! Luka has a dirty, foul mouth that goes well with his previous player ways (though he wasn’t that much of a player), and Michelle has some serious issues with men and has a crazy case of RBF. Together, sunrise means something special.

Though I commend them on their dedication to sunrise, I’d stab someone who wanted to meet at sunrise. I think I could give Ashlyn or Chelle a run for their money on morning grumpiness.

Michelle isn’t looking for her boom, in fact she doesn’t even believe in it. She’s just looking for a guy to fill some of the loneliness she feels. Luka takes one look at her and knows shes the One for him. His father fell in love with his mother in a split second, and told Luka the story (which is super cute by the way and absolutely amazing) so when Luka saw Michelle, he knew. He wasn’t afraid, but excited about the fact he found the love of his life. Chelle was a little less excited about the feelings she felt.

And Luka comes off as crazy, and I love the homicidal tendencies Chelle tends to have towards him. I totally get it. How Michelle talks her self off the ledge, many times, is absolutely fantastic.

I smiled through the entire reading of this book. Luka’s nickname for Michelle is so sweet, and his over the top alpha is awesome. He tries understanding Michelle, giving her the support she needs, but he also doesn’t back off. And Michelle gives it right back to him when he’s being too much (yes feminism!)

All the drama in this book comes from Chelle and her fear of being hurt by Luka. While I would have liked a little less craziness from her, I still loved this book.

Thank you Sarah!!!
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4star

What color is my aura?

arc review 1blurbwidowersauraLiving in a world full of colors, Sofia Brazier escapes a career gone south as a juvenile probationary officer in New Orleans. After moving to the small town of St. Fleur, Sofia opens a photography business in hopes of ridding her life of all the dark auras surrounding the damaged souls she once tried helping. Her comfortable new life is upended when widower, and ex-security-forces-turned-handyman hunk, Noah Tyler enters the local pub.

Noah attempts to avoid the voluptuous beauty who has captivated his every thought. That is, until his daughter vandalizes Sofia’s building and effectively seals their fate. After cutting his daughter a break, Sofia begins tearing down the walls he built after his wife’s death.

Just when life finally seems worth living for Noah, Sofia finds herself the victim of a string of crimes. Can he protect Sofia when he failed to protect his own wife?

Warning: Due to the nature of the explicit sex scenes this book is intended for a Mature Audience.

Amazon Rating: 4.7 Stars
Goodreads Rating: 4.54 Stars

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author

AJ Renee is the author behind the St. Fleur series, Beauty Unmasked, Winter’s Surprise, Surviving Paris, and Finding Love at the Falls…. She’s a military wife and mother to three young girls. She graduated from the University of Central Florida with her Masters of Science in Criminal Justice and a Bachelors of Science in Psychology while working at the library.

She loves to write steamy romance with suspense and a happily ever after. When she isn’t writing or interacting with her readers, you can find her spending time with her family or reading. AJ enjoys traveling, researching family history, and all things New Orleans.

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review

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Widower’s Aura is the first in the St. Fleur series (with the fourth book being released in March of 2018). It is a slow burn, so if you’re looking for quick instant-love, this isn’t the book for you, but I still recommend this book. If you like Mariana Zapata, you’ll like A.J. Renee. There is an instant connection between Sofia and Noah, but they both have some serious baggage.

Sofia worked with delinquent children in hopes she could help them and their situations. After a really scary and traumatizing experience, she leaves and starts her own business in St. Fleur, far enough from her old life to get away from the trauma, but close enough to stay around family. Although you don’t find out what happened until almost the end of the book, trust me, you want to know what happens.

Noah is an ex-cop for the Army, and was deployed when his wife ran out to grab milk, and was murdered. Noah leaves the army and, two years after her death, moves with his daughter, Lexi, to St. Fleur. Although he can never really get out of “cop” mode, he helps his friend with his construction business. Noah tries to ignore Sofia, and his reaction at the sight of her, but Lexi makes that impossible. She defaces, albeit with a beautiful mural, the side of Sofia’s building, which brings these two together.

When they finally get together, it is explosive. Noah is the alpha male that I love. He is possessive of “his” girls. He is wary of getting into a relationship, but Lexi makes it clear: she likes Sofia so go date her. Through the trials and tribulations, Sofia and Noah come together and fall in love in a beautiful way.

I gave this book 4 stars because I really enjoyed reading this (and I also have a thing for single dads…). The story is beautiful, and has some supernatural elements (Sofia can see aura’s; which I probably should have guessed from the title but I was not expecting it! That confused me when I first read it hah!) One of my biggest issues with the book, and it’s not really an issue as more of a pet peeve, I don’t know how old they are! It’s totally possible I missed it somewhere, but I didn’t read about how old Sofia or Noah were! Although it’s not super important, it helps me gain a better picture of who these characters are.

I really loved reading their love story and can’t wait to read more! (I’m also crossing my fingers that Lexi will get a story…)

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4star

You can Run…

I received a copy of Run, Hide, Break & Chase, in exchange for honest reviews. Here’s my first one…

blurb

runjennifervesterOliva wouldn’t say she was paranoid. Maybe she read a few too many books on true crime, but it was all in the name of solid research. She was comfortable and cautious after a tragic event in her past. It worked for her.

At least it had, until she met Aiden Latimer. He was tall, muscular and did that eyebrow arch thing like a pro. The billionaire spotted her, and her life has been anything but comfortable ever since.

He was bossy and annoying. He even has a problem with her cussing. He’s done his own research on her and she’s convinced he even bugged her house.

She wasn’t prepared for her attraction to him, much less his ardent attention. Their worlds seemed so far apart that she was ready to end it on day one.

But things never go quite like you plan with an alpha male type.

Now, she’s being bossed around by Aiden, trying not to get into trouble with her best friend and dealing with a psycho, stalker ex-boyfriend!

The question is, when things finally do hit the fan, will she face her fears or run?

**Full-length standalone romance. 67,000+ words. No cheating, or cliffhangers with a Happily Ever After!

GoodreadsAmazon

author

Jennifer Vester is a romance author whose ambition is to entertain readers with off-beat female characters and the over-the-top alpha men that love them.

Her books revolve around romantic suspense with a little something for every reader. Always an HEA….(but look out for those twists!) It’s romance suspense after all.

The Lakefield series deals with some very serious subjects at times.

Come follow me!
Facebook

Or, join my reader’s group on Facebook:
Vester’s Vixens

Newsletter  —   Website

review

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Have you had a good laugh lately? If not, then check out this book. Seriously. Olivia’s mind had me cracking up the whole time. I had a first hand experience with her brain and I wish I could have some more.

Run is the story of Olivia running from Aiden Latimer. Literally. She ran from him at the bar, the car, after their kiss. Aiden is your typical alpha with a little extra “stop cussing before I punish you”. I’m not sure if it’s insta-love between the two, but it’s instant awareness, instant attraction, and instant craziness. There’s danger, laughs, sarcasm, and a lot of wondering if the stranger kidnapping her is a serial killer. Oh and a lot of stalking. But if you’re gonna die, might as well do it in a Bentley or a Benz right?

Olivia has legitimate reason to be wary of the super-bossy Aiden. Her ex-boyfriend was not kind to her. And by not kind I mean the absolute worst. Olivia’s roommate, Julia, and her mother conspire against Liv and trying to push away a potential date (though if this was real life I would probably be screaming at her to RUN THE OTHER WAY. but it’s not real life so I can yell at her to stop running away from him.)

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. It was full length- but it was a quick easy read. There was danger and excitement, as well as super steamy scenes, had some hilarious text messages, and guys that were like family to each other. It was definitely 4 great stars.

My issue with it was my issue with basically all heroines that have super hot, super rich boyfriends with awesome security: why do you try to ditch them?!? I’ve never needed security (knock on wood) and I definitely like to feel safe, so I don’t know why, when you get text messages from legit stalkers that you know are trying to hurt you, that you DITCH THE SECURITY TEAM. I understand independence and crap, but seriously stop running from the guys trained to take care of ya.

That’s my pet peeve though… maybe not everyone’s…

This was my first Jennifer read and I can’t wait to read the other three in the Lakefield series… Go add this to your TBR! Like… now! And do you have Kindle Unlimited? Well it’s free on KU!

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4star