Category Archives: romance

5 stars, Book Review, romance

Damaged, The Dillon Sisters by Layla Frost REview

May 2, 2021 Cait Leave a comment

I’m effed up. A hot mess. Haunted.

Damaged.

But he doesn’t think so.

He thinks my imperfectness is what makes me perfect. He loves my flaws. My quirks.

My scars.

He wants to protect me. See me happy. Make me alive. He wants to give me everything I need, no matter how twisted and wrong and depraved.

He needs me to need him.

Which makes me wonder…

Is he damaged, too?

Warning: Recommended for readers 18+. This beautifully damaged romance deals with seriously heavy topics, such as depression, anxiety, violence, and self-harm. Be advised. And be mindful and kind to your own mental health.

— Goodreads — Amazon — Bookbub —
Book Two in The Dillon Sisters series. See Deathly here.

Layla Frost has always been a rebel. A true badass.

Growing up, Layla used to hide under her blanket with a flashlight to read the Sweet Valley High books she pilfered from her older sister. It wasn’t long before she was reading hidden Harlequins during class at school. This snowballed into pulling all-nighters after the promise of “just one more chapter”.

Her love of reading, especially the romance genre, took root early and has grown immeasurably.

In between reading and writing, Layla spends her free time rocking out (at concerts, on the couch, in the car… Anywhere is a stage if you get into it enough), watching TV (the nerdier the better!), and being a foodie. Though she lives in NY (the state, not the city), she’s an avid Red Sox fan.

— Facebook — Naughty Cupcakes Group — Goodreads — Amazon — Website —
— Twitter and Instagram: @LaylaFWrites — Email: laylafrostwrites@gmail.com —

First and foremost, I’M SORRY I’M LATE WITH MY REVIEW. Second, major trigger warnings for everyone. This book deals with sensitive topics, including self-harm. There’s a trigger warning in the blurb, but it’s my duty as an authentic reviewer to make sure I reiterate that.

As someone who has self-harmed in the past, I can say that for me, Layla got it. Sometimes when reading a book with anxiety and depression, it can miss the mark. It’s a sensitive topic, especially as someone who cut themselves for years, to read a book where the author just doesn’t get it. Depression isn’t me crying all the time, it can be total apathy for life, surviving for the others around me. Anxiety isn’t always nail-biting, rocking in the corner, but the fear that you are never doing the right thing. Self-harm isn’t about hurting myself, or hating myself, but the relief you get from that one moment, that one cut.

Layla Frost absolutely gets it.

What else she gets? That no person can fix you. No man, no great, all consuming love will fix it. Briar struggles, and she goes to therapy, group therapy, hides her depression but still goes. It was refreshing not to have therapy seen in a negative light, to have Briar be the one who has to fix her self. But also have a man who will be by her side through it all.

Now, that’s not to say this book is a light, fluffy read. Cause it ain’t. Alexander’s got his own issues, his own darkness. But they work so well together.

Briar has had it bad. Eating disorders, physical abuse, parents that most definitely should not have had children. She’s got a sister she sees as the epitome of perfection (if you’ve read Deathly, WHICH YOU SHOULD HAVE, you know that’s the furthest thing from the truth). Briar is completely uninterested in male attention.

In comes tech genius, self-made billionaire Alexander. A mystery, an enigma, hot-as-hell. He stays out of the public eye for personal reasons, but from the moment he meets Briar is carefully laid plans blow up in smoke. He understands her pain, can feel it. He pushes Briar out of her box, while understanding her boundaries.

I loved him. I loved Briar. I loved everything about this book.

There’s not to much I can say without giving away the plot. It’s a difficult book to review. Layla once again weaved a tale that sucked you in, made you feel pain, fall in love, and kept you on the edge of your seat. Swiping pages to see what the next one would bring. The steam was off the charts, the character building was out of this world, and the darkness was just dark enough to pull you in without pulling your hair to hard.

Safe squad – you’re good on this one. Layla’s good for that.

I bow down to you, Queen of Cupcakes. Keep writing. Pls. For the love of God.

I mean, great work, pal. Keep it up.

5 stars, Book Review, Love, Mystery, romance, Uncategorized

Deathly: The Dillon Sisters by Brynne Asher Review

April 12, 2021 Cait 1 Comment

I’m a fraud. Or an imposter. I’m certainly a hypocrite.

I offer advice for a living. Encourage my patients to make wise decisions—help them help themselves to walk through life stronger, healthier, happier.

Isn’t that the goal? To live our best lives?

If only I practiced what I preach.

I wasn’t always like this. Every move I make lately is the opposite of smart. These questionable life choices are a new development.

They started the day a certain Vitale barged into my life.

Brand Vitale might look like a hero to the rest of the world, but looks can be deceiving.

I’m driven by obsession for a man who’s turning out to be dark, dangerous, and downright depraved.

And I don’t care.

Because, sometimes, depraved, debauched—hell, or even deathly—is the only option.

— Goodreads — Amazon —

Brynne Asher lives in the Midwest with her husband, three children, and her perfect dog. When she isn’t creating pretend people and relationships in her head, she is running her kids around and doing laundry. She enjoys cooking, decorating, shopping at outlet malls as well as online and is always seeking the best deal. A perfect day in “Brynne World” ends in front of an outdoor fire with family, friends, s’mores, and a delicious cocktail.

— Facebook — Goodreads — Amazon —

Obsession: an idea or thought that continually preoccupies or intrudes on a person’s mind.

How deep can an obsession go? How far is too far? What lengths would go to, to protect the one you love? That’s the question you are going to ask yourself as you reads Deathly. There were many times, as I was reading, where I thought I knew what was going on but BOY I had absolutely no idea.

Deathly is the first installment of a duet, where the first one focuses on Dr. Aria Dillon, and Damaged(written by the one and only, Layla Frost) focuses on her sister, Bria Dillon. Their stories are very separate, featuring two damaged sisters running from their past.

And lemme tell ya, if Deathly is any indication, and if I know these two authors (which I do, devoured every book they’ve written) it’s gonna be a doozy.

Deathly starts with a meet-cute. Aria, the psychologist and therapist, goes to a charity event where they’re auctioning off dogs and dates with hot firemen and paramedics. (Enter heavy breathing and inappropriate panting here – also, side note, my husband was a volunteer firefighter for a LONG time and not one of them looked like those calendars, I feel lied to). Aria has ulterior motives in going to the event, and it’s not to get a hot date. It’s actually to avoid a date and a dog all together. She doesn’t have time for either it’s just to get out of her comfort zone, take her own psychological advice she’d give to any patient, and do something different. Something uncomfortable. She wants absolutely nothing to do with the glowering firefighter with the fluffy puppy he cannot control.

She’s also lying to herself.

Enter Brando Vitale, Jr. If anyone could top the sexiest name in all of history (Theo Amato, sorry to my book husband and actual husband) it would be Brando. *takes a sip of wine*. Brando is a broody firefighter, forced to participate in the stupid charity event, with the weight of the world on his shoulders. He has no time for aloof women or untrained puppies. In fact, he’s downright rude to the Doctor. He just wants out. But when the intriguing, dismissive woman who wants nothing to do with a date or a dog ends up spending $15k in a split decision (or potential mental breakdown, either is fine) he forces her out on that date. Not one of owing people anything, he makes sure Aria knows there’s nowhere she can run. As soon as the date is over, they can go their separate ways.

Brand is also a liar. At least they have that in common.

I have to admit that the “I hate everyone but my woman” trope is one of my faves. Brand tops the list for alpha-hole, without being a jerk, but also pushing boundaries of the good doctor. He has a freaking hurricane brewing and should not, under any circumstances, be going on a date with any woman. Aria also has way to much on her plate, with student loans, two jobs, and a full load of patients to worry about. So while Aria tries desperately to get out of her date, Brand is not letting her go. Despite literally everything that could and would go wrong, Brand’s obsession with the intriguing doctor is quick but no less addicting.

Both of these characters have scars that run deep. Scars that carry over from lives they were forced to live. While utterly different in motives, and different sets of morals and values, they begin to realize they have one other thing in common: both have seemingly unhealthy addictions to each other. While Brand is busy giving the middle finger to literally everyone, Aria is trying to move past her own fears and mental issues. I was as obsessed with these two as they were with each other.

Brynne Asher has a magical way of world and word building. She sucks you in from the very first moment. You find yourself biting your nails along with Aria, truly experiencing her anxieties as if their your own, while rooting for Brand to take a wrecking ball to the shields Aria has built to protect herself. It was so easy to get lost in the world Brynne created, full of lies and deception, addiction and obsession, twists and turns.

I can honestly say I had no idea what was coming until it happened. Had no idea how deep their obsessions ran, how far they would go to protect the other. And it was freaking amaze balls. This is one of those books where, once finished, I immediately wished I could read again just to experience it all over. I’m a big fan of rereading, so I can’t wait until I can open it back up to see if there’s any foreshadowing, though I doubt it. It was a wonderfully twisted book, edging the line of darkness without falling too deep, feeding my own unhealthy obsession with Brynne & alpha-holes.

While reading books for the first time, I love to save quotes. It started as a way to help create teasers for my reviews, to try to capture the essence of the book without spoilers and to help tease readers with what’s coming. Overtime, it’s helped me go back and look at couples I’ve fallen in love with, and remember what they say to each other that made me swoon. Usually I save 5 or 6 quotes I can use for teasers, or for personal reasons, but I went back and counted seventeen quotes I highlighted. Each one impactful, important to the story, and ones I want tattooed on my skin forever. Though if I did that for every quote I loved from every book I’ve read I’d end up looking like Travis Barker with boobs.

It was so hard choosing only three quotes from this masterpiece. So hard to choose which ones to help portray what an amazing book this was. It had everything. Mystery, romance, death, mafia associations, police interrogations, and steamy scenes that will have you reaching for your significant other. I cannot wait until I can read Damaged. If it’s anything like Deathly, which I know it will be, I’ll be left with another book hangover.

TL;DR download the friggen book right the heck now.

5 stars, Book Review, Love, romance

Loving Kate Becket, CC Monroe Review

October 25, 2020 Cait Leave a comment

I couldn’t find the “official” blurb on Goodreads. This is the second book in “The Loving Series” and follows the story of Kate Beckett, best friend of Sadie McCallister. See my review of “Loving Ben Cooper” here. Also, in my defense, I think I was using Photofiltre for those teasers so just like… don’t look at them. Maybe I should remake them? Whatever. They’re awful.

GoodReads | Amazon Coming Soon

Author CC Monroe is from the hottest city in the world, Phoenix, Arizona. She spends her days working in fashion and her nights with her face in her laptop telling the stories of the voices in her mind. She left Arizona a few years back and now lives in the beautiful snow state of Utah, where she married her true love!

When she isn’t writing or working, she is making people laugh with her mad sense of humor and tip of the tongue one liners.

Facebook — Instagram — Readers Group — Goodreads — Amazon

Who told WordPress they could change EVERYTHING on me?? I’ve only been on hiatus for… well… nevermind. Maybe they could change things but it’s annoying. Just throwing that out there. As much fun as reading is, creating the teasers is a form of torture I TRULY enjoy, so having WordPress just mess up all my pretties is HIGHLY annoying.

In case you were wondering I am as dramatic as ever.

In my time off many things have changed. My job is stressful and I work long hours, a freaking pandemic happened (???), I got married through it, and I’m still breathing. One thing that hasn’t changed is my love for reading and writing. Unfortunately for my favorite authors, and the new ones starting out, due to my anxiety and depression it’s been a year of mostly re-reads. Rereading all of Alexa Riley, Cambria Hebert, Layla Frost, CM Steele, and a few others. They’ve gotten me through some of the toughest times in my life this year.

You know who I’m not rereading? This bish Monroe. Yeah, we’re on a last name basis now. Why don’t I reread her? Because my personal belief is that she enjoys tearing us apart, spitting us out, and then putting tape over our hearts like “TADA ALL BETTER”. I’m kidding (mostly) since I know she cries just as much as her readers do when she’s writing.

But when she messaged me saying “CHECK YA KINDLE” I ran. I think I might have stubbed a toe to get to my phone too. Cause I knew what was waiting for me… Ms. Kate Beckett. Hot damn. I have been waiting for this book for 2 years… less time than other people but still waiting anxiously. if it weren’t for the acrylics on my fingers I’d have no nails left. I loved, loved, LOVED Ben Cooper. Cried with Sadie, laughed with her, fell in love with her. And throughout Sadie’s story, you see snippets of this beautiful girl trying her damndest to fix a broken man.

I think at some point or another we have all felt our love could fix someone. Family, friends, lovers, whoever. We wanted to be the person that could change them, fix them, love them enough they would see how worthy of life and love they were. Maybe there’s someone out there reading this saying “that’s me! I was that person! I loved them and they changed!” but in my experience, that doesn’t happen. I have loved someone though they were toxic, dragging me down with them, so I was living through their hell. I had to make a choice, as does everyone when loving a manipulative, broken person. Stay or go?

For four years, Kate Beckett chose to stay. She stayed through the abuse, the cheating, the lies, the drugs. Choosing to be a martyr, would rather destroy herself then leave the man she loved. Eric charmed her, slowly revealed pieces of himself in the most sober moments, gave Kate a high to look forward to, just to rip it away with the next needle in his arm. The highs were great, but the lows, those destroyed her.

So she began dreaming of another man, began falling in love with another man, but still refused to leave. Turned her back on everyone and everything, to stay with the toxic man she’d chosen all those years ago. Why? Well… why does anyone stay?

Then there’s Nick. The man who loved her despite herself. When all he wanted to do was rip Kate out of Eric’s arms, watched her break down all of her broken pieces, watched Eric grind them into the ground, all while hoping and praying that this time would be the last. She would leave him for good, walk out the door.

I mean really… who had the addiction? Kate, Eric, or Nick?

There’s so much I could say about this book… watching Kate withdrawal from her drug of choice, watching Eric destroy and break her down, watching Nick try to bring her out of the sludge Kate had found herself in. I really felt like I was watching a movie unfold in front of my eyes. (A Lifetime movie some would say… READ THE BOOK YOU’LL GET IT). I. Felt. Everything.

And feelings are gross just throwing that out there. (Ironic coming from a cancer, hm?)

It was so different from Ben Cooper in the best of ways. Ben wasn’t so deep into his addiction he couldn’t back out. He didn’t change for Sadie, but for himself. So he could be a man worth of her and Melody. In many ways, Eric is Kate’s addiction. She knows it’s unhealthy, that she is not the best person she could be when she’s with him. And it’s not for Nick that she tries to be that person. It’s for herself. She knows she can be happier, better, without Eric. But how do you leave the last 4 years of your life? How do you get out of it? Kate Beckett is not the same girl she was when she fell into the pits of Eric.

Would life be different if only she had met Nick first?

Yes. But then the story wouldn’t have had the twists and turns it did. And trust me, if you didn’t hate Eric from the Prologue (which you absolutely should) then you will hate him towards the end of the book.

Here’s the part I curse and send CC voice messages of me screaming again. Yes, again.

Anyways. Read the book. It’s so damn good. Now, I’m going to drink another bottle of wine while I cope with the fact Nick & Kate are finally together and I have nothing left to live for.

(I did say I was dramatic didn’t I?)

Reading List, romance

April Releases

March 31, 2018 Cait Leave a comment

So, tomorrow is April, and in honor of the showers that hopefully bring some flowers, here are some books coming out in April; Which ones are you looking forward to?

Happily Ever Alpha Series

CP Smith, Brynne Asher, Jordan Marie, KL Donn, CC Monroe, Rochelle Paige, S. Van Horne, KD Robichaux, Layla Frost, Jenika Snow, Samantha Lind, Elle Christensen, Ella Fox, Natasha Madison, Sarah O’Rourke, and Elle Jefferson are all contributing to this amazing series and I had the lucky chance to read and review 9 of them in advanced. So far they are AMAZING!!
Release Date: April 3rd, 2018

Castiel by KL Donn
(No Cover/Blurb Yet)
This is the third in the Adair Empire Series and I cannot wait to read it! (Pre-order & one-click the HECK out of this baby!)
Release Date: April 24th, 2018

Something So Unscripted by Natasha Madison

Blurb:
Zack
Finding my teammate in bed with my wife made the decision I had been fighting with for years easier.
It’s time to move on.
A fresh start and a new NHL team in a big city. Most importantly, it’s my son Jack’s best shot.
It would be both of our best shots.
Denise
After a bad childhood, I made sure I would succeed.
The problem is I die a little with each patient I lose. It’s part of my career at Hudson Children’s Oncology Hospital, but it doesn’t make the sting of loss any easier.
Seeking anything other than a life saved isn’t on my agenda until a NHL player walks into my hospital with his son.
We’re officially off script the moment we meet.
If this love is anything, it’s unscripted.
Release Day: April 2nd, 2018

Damage by Jennifer Vester
What if the pivotal moment in your life, hinged upon all the events that happened in your past?
Suzanne had survived, had endured. At least that’s what she told herself. So many mistakes littered her life, and she was determined not to repeat them.
Living in Lakefield, with the memories of a man she loved and lost hanging over her, she decides to embark on a new life. It’s a choice that will put a series of events in motion, that could ultimately save her or break her.
When she meets a man named Mark, her reality is suddenly altered, and nothing is quite what she thought it was. Everything in both of their lives will dramatically change.
Fighting against their pasts and a determined killer, two people that thought they knew what defined them, will have to rethink what they know about themselves and each other.
With love and their future on the line, they’ll have to find a way to survive the maniac that’s working to destroy them.
Release Date: April 24th, 2018

Good Girl by Jana Aston
I’ve always been a good girl.
I work hard, I follow the rules, and I always achieve my goals.
But sometimes good girls want things that aren’t good for them.
Or someone who isn’t good for them.
Like their new boss.
And sometimes they do very bad things to get his attention.
Like sell their virginity in an auction.
Who knew he’d be so very, very mad?
Maybe this was not my best laid plan…

Release Date: April 24th, 2018

Coming Together by Poppy Dune
Blurb:
Aloha, romance. Aloha, big blue sea. Aloha, handsome husband.
It’s been fourteen years since Justin and I got married, promptly got pregnant and buried under bills and diapers and jobs and playdates. Although our love remains steady and strong, an avalanche of daily details have taken us farther away from each other. I’ve lost count of how many years it’s been since we were truly alone.
But here we are now, in idyllic Hawaii, on the dream honeymoon we’ve been–well–dreaming about for years. There’s a roast suckling pig, my husband in a lei, and a sunset over the ocean that would put Bob Ross to shame. Still, we seem to be missing each other, like two hula dancers passing in the night.
I’ve got four days to put the spark back in this marriage and I’m bringing out the big guns: sexy dress, strappy heels, grotto sex to scandalize the other guests. But when the outside world starts infringing on this intimate scene, my husband’s eyes move to a hot new business prospect instead of hot little me.
If a honeymoon in paradise can’t bring us back together, do we really have a shot at this thing? Can we say aloha to each other again?
Release Date: April 12th, 2018

Psychic’s Spell by Ella Summers
In the immortal war between gods and demons, one woman’s past holds the key to humanity’s future.
One year after joining the Legion of Angels in New York City, Leda Pierce returns home to visit her family in Purgatory, a rough and rugged frontier town that borders the plains of monsters. Leda’s family reunion is cut short, however, when her little sisters are captured by supernatural mercenaries.
Together with her angel lover Nero, she sets out to save them. Besieged by monsters, assailed by powerful foes, Leda knows this rescue mission won’t be easy. What she doesn’t expect is that it will bring her face-to-face with the secrets of her buried past.
Psychic’s Spell is the sixth book in the Legion of Angels series.
The Legion of Angels series Vampire’s Kiss Witch’s Cauldron Siren’s Song Dragon’s Storm Shifter’s Shadow Psychic’s Spell Book 7 [coming soon]
Release Date: April 2nd, 2018

Havoc by Debra Anastasia
I named myself. I took the word Animal out of their mouths, wore it like a badge of honor then shoved it down their throats. I’ve fought for what I have. I see you coming, before you even know you want a piece of me. In a city riddled with warring families, I’ll rise up between them. My people, the broken souls I gather will have power by the time I’m done with them.
I protect mine.
Him. My brother, Nix.
Her. The girl that is the only home I’ve ever had. She knows me.
I’m coming at you, Sweetness. Stay ready.

Release Day: April 5th, 2018

I Dare You by Ilsa Madden-Mills
Wall Street Journal bestselling author Ilsa Madden-Mills kicks off a brand-new, sexy, heartfelt contemporary romance series with I DARE YOU!
Bad Ass Athlete: I dare you to…
Delaney Shaw: Who is this?
The late night text is random, but “Bad Ass Athlete” sure seems to know who she is…
Delaney Shaw.
Good girl.
Lover of fluffy kitties and Star Wars.
Curious.
His dare? Spend one night in his bed—a night he promises will be unforgettable—and she can solve the mystery of who he is.
She knows she shouldn’t, but what else is she going to do with her boring Valentine’s Day?
One sexy hook-up later, her mind is blown and the secret’s out.
Maverick Monroe.
Bad boy.
The most talented football player in the country.
Just ask him.
Too bad for him Delaney’s sworn off dating athletes forever after her last heartbreak.
But Maverick wants more than one night and refuses to give up on winning Delaney’s heart. She isn’t one to be fazed by a set of broad shoulders.
Will the bad boy land the nerd girl or will the secrets they keep from each other separate them forever?
Release Day: April 29th, 2018

Finder’s Keepers by BJ Bentley
Charlotte
I was a world-class thief.
I was tasked with stealing a valuable artifact in order to save my brother’s life.
I must avoid detection, evade capture, and meet my deadline.
Unfortunately, my plans go awry when Jensen Holm, a dangerous and powerful criminal himself, finds me in his home.
And decides to keep me.
Jensen
I was a criminal kingpin.
I collected rare and beautiful things, and nothing was more rare or beautiful than this thief who intended to steal from me.
I had to show her who was in control.
I had to show her who she belonged to.
I had to show her that she had stolen my heart.
**Finders Keepers is a dark romance with possible triggers for graphic violence and non-consensual situations.
Release Date: April 4th, 2018
(My review of Finders Keepers

Whiskey Chaser by Lucy Score with Claire Kinglsey

“I’m afraid my vagina might turn itself inside out if you try to give it another orgasm so soon.” — Scarlett Bodine
Raised by her three overbearing brothers, Scarlett is a hell-raising tomboy with a tool belt. A tornado stirring up trouble everywhere she goes. Her favorite pastimes? Drinking any man under the table and two-stepping. But she has zero interest in love. Scarlett’s only being neighborly when she claims her sexy next-door neighbor as her new pet project.

Devlin is a man at rock bottom. Marriage, political career, five-year plan to Washington, D.C. All destroyed with one well-placed jab. The golden boy is now the black sheep relegated to Bootleg Springs, a tiny West Virginia town with two claims to fame: 1. Moonshine and 2. The cold case disappearance of a teen girl.
Devlin just wants to lick his wounds. But Scarlett has other ideas for his tongue… and the rest of him. She’s determined to bring him back to life, even if getting him back on his feet means never seeing him again. But when an old mystery becomes new news, she’ll need his help to survive the scandal.
Release Date: April 13th, 2018

Lyric by Molly Adams
New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Molly McAdams delivers the first captivating, stand-alone novel in her REDEMPTION series spin-off—the REBEL series . . .
I’m not the kind of girl you forget.
I wish I was.
I wish I was normal.
That I could blend into a crowd. Have a future with the man I’ve loved my entire life…
Maxon James understands me in a way others can’t.
For as long as I can remember, he’s vowed that one day he would claim my wild, rebel heart. God knows I wanted him to try. I wanted the life he promised me in his lyrics.
But his assurances couldn’t change the past, and the infamous mafia blood in my veins guarantees my heart can’t be claimed.
Somewhere along the way, I slipped. I let myself believe we could have it all. Now a dark, menacing shadow hovers between us, mocking us for daring to hope for a normal future.
And it’s come to collect on a blood oath.
My name’s Elizabeth Borello—Libby for short. Don’t worry about forgetting it… He hasn’t.
Release Date: April 30th, 2018

Hot Target by April Hunt
WHAT HAPPENS IN VEGAS . . .
How did a nice girl like Rachel Kline end up in a jail cell in Vegas? Don’t even ask. She came to Sin City to find her missing friend and accidentally got swept up in a police raid. Even worse, she’s being bailed out by the last man she wants to see right now: the irresistibly sexy, infuriatingly cocky Alpha op who rescued her a year ago. What are the odds?
Logan Callahan is six-and-a-half feet of solid muscle and Texas charm, a hard-fighting ex-Marine with a soft spot for Rachel. He’s more than obliged to hang up his cowboy hat and help her out. But when someone takes a shot at her, he knows there’s a good chance what happens in Vegas won’t stay there. With targets on their backs and killers on their tails, it’s one high-risk game they’re playing. And it’s not just their hearts that are on the line . . .
Release Date: April 10th, 2018

5 stars, Love, romance

Trigger Warning! Finder’s Keepers by BJ Bentley

March 30, 2018 Cait 4 Comments

Charlotte
I was a world-class thief.
I was tasked with stealing a valuable artifact in order to save my brother’s life.
I must avoid detection, evade capture, and meet my deadline.
Unfortunately, my plans go awry when Jensen Holm, a dangerous and powerful criminal himself, finds me in his home.
And decides to keep me.
Jensen
I was a criminal kingpin.
I collected rare and beautiful things, and nothing was more rare or beautiful than this thief who intended to steal from me.
I had to show her who was in control.
I had to show her who she belonged to.
I had to show her that she had stolen my heart.
**Finders Keepers is a dark romance with possible triggers for graphic violence and non-consensual situations.

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 —

Ok, I’m so going to contradict myself here. Remember my post about things I hated reading about? One of those things was abuse… Well, I just read this book that contains non-consensual situations, and freely states what it is, but I still loved it. I think one of the things I liked was that the author didn’t gloss over it, or say it was something else. Jensen is a bad guy, who thinks of Charlotte as a possession to do what he pleases. However, I was sucked into this book from the prologue, and I couldn’t stop reading. At all. I need to remember to read warnings better… I still would have read this book though. (I think we all have exceptions to our rules… except cheating!)

ANYWAYS

This is the story of Charlotte Benson, pixie, a thief who makes a rookie mistake and is captured by Jensen Holm, a criminal and a collector. He collects beautiful things, and when he catches Charlotte trying to steal something from him, he decides to collect her too. He’s not used to women not wanting him. And he’s not used to being so possessive over one woman.

Poor criminal is still learning…

Jensen slowly comes to terms with his feelings for Charlotte, including the *spoiler* regret he feels over how he treated her in the beginning. I also like the fact that he knows what he did to her, and how it was wrong, and he tries to make up for it, in his Jensen way. And Charlotte has a sense of humor despite what she’s going through at the hands of Jensen. Neither Jensen, Charlotte, nor the author make light of a non-consensual situation. It is not a joke. But it is a part of the world Jensen and Charlotte are apart of so it was in the book.

This is the story of Jensen finding his humanity and Charlotte coming to love his humanity, and his darkness.

This novel is extremely dark. Seriously dark. It has trigger warnings all over the freaking place. Definitely one of the darkest I’ve ever read. That may help me wrap my head around Jensen’s treatment of Charlotte in the beginning, and if not accept it, move on from it. I’m not Charlotte, though, so I really don’t have to accept it. This book also moves extremely fast. Jensen gets over his criminal-minded crap fast. They fall in love, fast. Jensen kills a lot of people-fast. I got the book in the morning, and finished it by the end of the day.

By the end of the book, my heart fell in love with the characters BJ Bentley created, and I fell in love with this book. It was so good. Their love is darkness. Their love is criminal. This book is not going to be fore everybody, but if you can make it past the super ugliness it gets so much better! So…

Can I have the next book?

P.S. DOUBLE EPILOGUES!! (We all know how much I love those…)

Blog Ramblings, romance

What’s something you can’t read?

March 30, 2018 Cait 2 Comments

This post is a little bit different, because I’d like to get to know you all better! I’ve been reading a lot lately, not that it’s any different, but I’ve been signing up to read and review some authors new books. While this is super exciting (free books! romance!), when I read the blurb provided by the author, I have to really think about what I’m going to read. I don’t want to read a book and not enjoy it, then read a bad review- just because there was something in the book I didn’t like.

For example? Cheating. I can NOT read a book that has the main character, female or male, cheating on each other. I can sometimes get away with if they’re not together, in the beginning, and them (usually the guy) sleeping with someone else to “forget” the girl. While this bothers me, I can usually get over it while yelling at the guy in my head he’ll regret it. And I do the same if the girl sleeps with another guy to get over the main guy. But if they’re together? And someone cheats? I lose my freaking shit. Not even going to lie.

I read this book last year where the guy gets a chance to play in the minor leagues, and he cheats on his girl(I won’t name the book). I had anxiety for a freaking month after that. I tried to keep reading thinking “no, no NO THIS DIDN’T REALLY HAPPEN!” but it did! (By the way, totally getting anxiety right now thinking about it- cause I’m a weirdo). I had to read the second book just to find out what the outcome of it was- even though I couldn’t finish reading the first book! I don’t know why this bothers me, I was never cheated on, and now I’m engaged to a wonderful man. I can read dark romances, ones with lots of blood and gore, but throw in some cheating and my stomach and head go haywire for a month.

Books with cheating should come with a warning or something.

Reading about people doing drugs does the same thing to me. Drugs are a weird thing for me. Even reading about people smoking a little weed in a book gets me nervous. I have a control issue (see anxiety weirdness from above) so I don’t like drugs. It’s my personal thing, and it doesn’t necessarily stop me from reading a book, but it can deter me from it. It’s one of the reasons I tend to stay away from rock star romances. It’s just not my thing.

Something that will make me drop a book faster than cheating or anything else is abuse by the hero or heroine. Usually, I don’t see physical abuse by either of the main characters, but occasionally I will see mental or emotional abuse. I read a book, granted it was an older romance novel, not a contemporary, where the MC was emotionally abusive and manipulative(I don’t remember the book I read it in high school). One part I remember clearly was the guy was not happy about something the female did, so waited in her house (that he did not have a key to) in the dark, for her to come home. Scared the crap out of her! She was legitimately scared!

I’ve read a ton of alpha male romances. Where the guy is overly possessive and jealous. But none of the guys I’ve read have tried to scare their girl. And when they do, they apologize profusely, explaining what they were trying to do. Everyone loves a good grovel every now and then. The book before? The girl who let me borrow the book got the book back-when I threw it at her. That’s the only scene I remember- but I remember thinking that the guy was a manipulative jerk.

Cheating- I stop reading. Drugs- I just don’t like em. Abuse- oh hell no.

What’s something that makes you drop a book and run?

5 stars, Book Review, happily ever alpha, romance

Until Kayla, CC Monroe

March 30, 2018 Cait 2 Comments

Kayla Mackey
I was ready to run from my loss and find something to make me breathe again.
I didn’t know it could happen. Until Jase.
Jase Riding
I felt desolate and alone when I lost the best part of me. I didn’t know where I would find someone to mend the broken parts in me. That was… Until Kayla.
We met, and with a brief hello and a hushed profanity, we were hooked.
I swear we heard thunder when our eyes met.
Boom. And our lives were changed forever.

Goodreads

When she isn’t writing or working, she is making people laugh with her mad sense of humor and tip of the tongue one liners.

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For some reason, single dad/mom novels are my favorites. There’s something about a dad opening himself up to love, and about a woman opening her heart to kids that aren’t her own that just get to me. And vice versa.

This was my first CC Monroe novel, though I do have a copy of Loving Ben Cooper. I haven’t gotten a chance to read it yet due to all the new releases- but since Sadie and Kate make their appearance in Kayla’s book, I’m going to have to crack that one open!

Until Kayla is the story of Kayla Mackey moving from Portland to Tennessee for school, two years after her parents pass away. Jace Riding is a single father who lost his wife three years earlier. He and his little girl, Avery, live in Tennessee and Jace is looking for someone to share his life with. Not actively, since dating with a daughter is difficult, but he does miss sharing his life with someone. But how could anyone take the place of Lainey?

Kayla is trying to move on, but the death of her parents hit her hard. but she’s hoping the move to Tennessee will help her feel closer to her parents. While unpacking her things, she meets Harlen and Harmony (from Until Harmony! Yay!). Did I mention Harlen and Jace grew up together? (BOOM!-yes I did that)

I really love the instant connection these two have. The kind that makes of them stupid for a minute… or two. And Kayla tries to deny her feelings for a hot minute. Jace ain’t havin’ that. One of my favorite things is that Jace curses a lot. I have the mouth of truck driver and I think Jace drops the f-bomb every five minutes (love it!). And he takes care of Kayla the best way possible. I also love the fact that Jace’s reactions feel real! I don’t want to give it away– so I won’t– but CC Monroe captures reality in her characters.

And can we talk about how she captures Harlen and Harmony? I do love the growly bastard.

5 Stars for this amazing read!

4 stars, Book Review, romance

You can Run…

March 29, 2018 Cait 4 Comments

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

Oliva 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!

Goodreads — Amazon

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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Newsletter — Website

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!

4.5 Stars, Book Review, happily ever alpha, romance

Until I Saw You…

March 28, 2018 Cait 1 Comment

At first glance, I knew you were mine.
Your smile captured me and refused to let me go.
I’m too dirty to touch you; too tainted from my past.

You deserve better.

But you’re the one thing I can’t run from.
I thought love wasn’t for me.
I was prepared to walk this world alone.

Until I Saw You.

USA Today Best Selling Author Jordan Marie, is just a simple small town country girl who is haunted by Alpha Men who talk in her head 24 hours a day.

She likes to create a book that takes you on an emotional journey whether tears, laughter (or both) or just steamy hot fun (or all 3). She loves to connect with readers and interacting with them through social media, signings or even old fashioned email.

Join her newsletter to stay up to date as well as take part in giveaways and just let her know how you feel about her books!

Link: https://www.jordanmarieromance.com/subscribe

This book wrecked me! Holy crap it wrecked me. This was my first Jordan Marie novel (shame on me!) and woah I need more. I don’t know what Jordan’s typical writing style is, but I know that this wasn’t Aurora’s, but only in the best ways. This Happily Ever Alpha Crossover is seriously wrecking my expectations for real life, so I’m going to need these authors to chill. This is a crossover into Jordan’s Filthy Florida Alphas series.

This is the story of Jessie Hart, twenty-four year old virgin, entrepreneur and sweet as freaking pie. This is also the story of Allen, an ex-junkie trying to make-up for his sins and trying to fight down the demons that continue to try to take him over. Until I Saw You is a novella that is short, super sweet, but it had the darkest past I’ve read in one of the Happily Ever Alpha novellas so far.

Jessie and Allen meet when Allen’s sister Ana goes shopping at Jessie’s store. Allen takes one look at her and and knows this is his one woman. Jessie feels the pull too, though she doesn’t understand it. She’s dated, but has focused on her store and getting it up and running. Allen tries to stay away from Jessie, because even though he is sober, he doesn’t feel clean. Jessie is so innocent, so sweet, he doesn’t want to dirty her up.

Normally, when a guy or a girl in a romance novel does the “I’m not good enough for her” b.s. I can’t help but roll my eyes want to shake them. But Jordan created such real, vivid characters that I didn’t feel like rolling my eyes. I wanted to hug Allen and tell him everything would be ok. Jessie and Allen were so believable in their vulnerabilities, but also wanting the best for their partner even after short time of knowing each other.

And seriously, when I heard this guy’s name was Allen, I did not know how Jordan was going to make this sound sexy to me. I had two crushes on two separate Allens in sixth and eighth grade, so all I could picture was tall(well compared to me tall), awkward kids that hadn’t come into their own skin yet. But OH BOY I will don’t think I will be thinking of them anymore.

I want to talk about the Mayson sneak peek, but I’m not giving anything away which means I’m not gonna say a THING about it ;).

I’m giving this 4.5 stars, which seems nit-picky, but honestly the only complaint I have, is that I know nothing about Jessie. I just wish there was one paragraph to talk more about where Jessie came from, who her parents were or something. That’s it. My one little thing that made this go from 5 stars to 4.5.

But I loved this book so much! SUPER job Jordan!

5 stars, Book Review, happily ever alpha, romance

Until Avery, Brynne Asher Review

March 28, 2018 Cait 1 Comment

Dreams.

I never had one. Never even knew what a dream was until a certain unassuming Carpino waltzed into my life. That day my world tilted.

It became unhinged.

I might not have been a dreamer, but she was.

She wrote the words missing from my life. Her notes ignited my heart. Her flame lit up my darkness.

Her dreams became mine and I’d move heaven and earth to give them life.

Especially when my past surfaced and threatened to kill every dream we had.
Until Avery, I had nothing.

But I’m Link Forester. I’d fight for her, for us, because right now, I have everything to lose.

Warning: The author will have a dramatic fit—Scarlett O’Hara style—if anyone under the age of eighteen touches this book.

YES! THE CARPINOS ARE BACK! My kryptonite is families like the Carpinos/Maysons. Big, loud, in your face, gossipy families that have your back no matter what. Brynne does an amazing job of mixing these two families together. I’d like an epilogue with the Carpinos and Maysons meeting each other for some fantasy football. That would be a hoot.

If Gus, from Until Nox, was my spirit animal, Avery is me. The good girl who doesn’t break the rules, goes to class, and definitely doesn’t use fake ID’s to get into bars. Link is the guy that owns the bar that Avery is trying to get into.
Illegally.
Avery is going to Vanderbuilt, the college near Nashville, and the Carpinos up Nebraska are not happy about that. They are supportive in the Carpino way, which means guilt trips to come visit soon, and calls to make sure she’s coming home for the holidays. Link just moved back from Vegas, and is happy to be home with his family, the Maysons. He’s not a Mayson by blood, but they like to adopt people they love.

God I love Link and Avery. And Brynne did such an amazing job with this book, it’s 5 stars. No, wait it’s 4 because it’s not long enough. I can make it 5 when Brynne writes more…

ANYWAY, I fell in love with Avery the first rambling page of her trying to use a fake to get into a bar just to hear one song. And I loved Link for bouncing her. I really loved him trying to ignore what he felt for her, but in the end he just didn’t care. Not even when Nico threatened his balls repeatedly. And Nico usually makes good on his promises. Brynne wrote this novella in her style, while managing to capture the essence of Mayson crew and beyond. She didn’t show snippets of the Mayson’s; she threw a freaking party…

…and we all remember the Star Wars Party… (if you don’t know what that means, then shame on you and go read Athica Lane right now!)

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