Tag Archives: arc

Trigger Warning! Finder’s Keepers by BJ Bentley

blurbfinderskeepersCharlotte
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.

author

29136192_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 —  WebsiteAmazon —  BookBub  —

 

review
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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…)
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5star

Until Kayla, CC Monroe

arc review 1blurb

until kaylaKayla 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

author

22687879_379655212464978_1373405913340945735_n.jpgAuthor 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.

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review

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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!

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5star

Until You, Samantha Lind

arc review 1blurbuntilyouCameron Burgress was ready for a new start.

New city, new job, and maybe one day, a new love. She just didn’t realize how quickly that could all happen until she walked into a tattoo shop, finally ready to get the ink she’d wanted since her fiancé died, nearly four years ago.

Ethan O’Neill had everything. Until one day, he didn’t.

After an off-ice injury stripped him of his hockey career, he started over in life, pursuing his other passion—tattoos. He’d never been the kind of guy to want to settle down, but that all changed one day, when a knock-out beauty strolled into his shop and into his life.

An instant attraction and a little bit of ink is the perfect mix for two people ready for change.

Goodreads.

author

samanthalind.jpgSamantha 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.

 

 

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This was my first Samantha Lind book, and boy was it a good one. If you’re looking for drama, move right on along. The absence of drama didn’t lesson the intensity of this novel though. Ethan and Cam were SO cute.

Ethan is a tattoo artist (*swoon*) who does Cash Mayson’s tattoos, and Cam is Lilly’s best friend from college. After losing the love of her life, Ben, three years ago, Cam decides it’s time to move forward with her life. She decides to move from Philadelphia to Tennessee to be closer to Lilly. After moving, she decides she wants a tattoo, which is where she meets Ethan.

Ethan designs the perfect tattoo for Cam, and they decide to start dating. Ethan isn’t the typical Alpha caveman, but I think that’s perfect for Cam. He’s so understanding about Ben, he supports Cam’s mourning in the best ways possible. He knows Cam isn’t moving on from Ben, but she’s moving forward.

Well, maybe Ethan is the typical OTT Alpha, but there weren’t many examples of it in the short novel. This book was about two people finding love with each other in the world Aurora Rose Reynolds created. It was about Cam finding her love for the second time, and Ethan fully embracing his Boom!

I would have loved to have seen more of the growly man in Ethan, but I think that the guy Samantha created is perfect for Cam. And that’s good enough for me. Sometimes, though, I felt the parts where they were explaining their love fell a little flat. There was no emotional punch when there should have been. But there were no examples of highs and lows, it was like being stuck on the up part in the beginning of the roller coaster. I kept waiting for the high part to come, or to go down the other side, but I never did.

But, overall, I enjoyed reading Until You, and I really loved the part where they said the title of the book in it. It’s like watching a movie and hearing them say the title. I definitely snickered.

Amazing job Samantha, and I can’t wait to read more of your work!
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4star

Until You’re Mine, Jenika Snow Review

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blurb

untilyouremineA sugary sweet friends-to-lovers story featuring a virgin hero and heroine. Cameo appearances from Asher, Cash, and Trevor, from Aurora Rose Reynolds Until series.

Official blurb coming soon!

Add it to your Goodreads!

 

 

 

author

Jenika Snow is a USA Today Bestselling Author, and has been a published writer since 2009. Jenika lives in the northeast with her husband and their two daughters. She prefers gloomy days, eats the topping off of her pizza first, and prefers to wear socks year round.

She can be found at:
WebsiteFacebookTwitterEmail

review

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I think I have a toothache and need to go to the dentist. This book was so freaking sweet it’s not even funny. This wasn’t my first Jenika Snow book, so I was expecting something super sweet. But honestly, this was so much better!!!

Cora and Xavier have known each other for a long time, and Xavier was Cora’s protector. When Xavier went into the military service, Cora was hurt but she didn’t show it, knowing Xavier needed to do this. For eight long years, both Cora and Xavier have held their feelings inside, not wanting to ruin their friendship, not sure how to express what they’re feeling. But when it’s time for Xavier to come home from the service, all bets are off.

If there is one thing you can expect from Jenika, it’s short, sweet, and sappy. Cora and Xavier’s story doesn’t include drama, just some uber steamy love scenes, and some men not afraid to show their emotions. Not having drama does not mean their love is less intense. They just both know what they want, and when they decide it’s time to make it happen, nothing can stop them. One of the things I love about Jenika, and this romance, was they met young but knew what they wanted, and didn’t try to go for something else. They both saved their virginity for each other. (Wait, can you make virginity plural? Virginities?)

I also love the inclusion of the Mayson family. It was simple and sweet, just like everything else in this book. They welcomed Xavier back with open arms, and it was so nice to get that snippet.

And double epilogues! *swoon* I’m of the firm belief that the more epilogues, the better. Reading this Happily Ever Alpha crossover is like getting 16 epilogues while falling in love with 16 new couples. What’s better than that honestly. Ok, bottom line? GO READ THIS! (On April 3rd, and yes I have a countdown set up on my phone. Just 9 days left!)

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4star

S. Van Horne, I need MORE!

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blurb

untilmoreAt twenty-two, Crystal Kopas didn’t know where her life was heading. Ghost writing romance stories for well-known authors isn’t an easy thing to do, especially when she couldn’t forget the one man who rocked her world. After moving to Hawaii, she thought she was finally getting her life on track. That is—until he showed up.

At twenty-five, Detective Vigo Conti decided it was time to take a vacation with his baby sister. After a grueling case that took everything out of him, he packed up Maddison and hit the beaches of Hawaii, praying to get his mind off the one woman who seemed to steal his heart when she disappeared after only one night together. He was finally starting to relax and enjoy his time with Mads uninterrupted. That is—until he sees her.

Without warning, disaster strikes and Conti vows he will do everything to get his family back. Because sometimes finding that special BOOM makes one cross lines never imagined.

Will Conti be able to save his family before it is too late?

Add it to your Goodreads!

author

S. Van Horne was born and raised in the small town of Belton, Missouri, which is a part of the Kansas City metropolitan area. She is from a very large family and is the oldest of six. Growing up she did not have the easiest life. She learned quickly that family means everything, even if it is the type that you get to pick for yourself. She met the love of her life at the early age of 20 and was married just after nine months of meeting him. Shortly after marriage, her husband rejoined the U.S. Navy and they moved from Kansas City and started their journey together. Currently they have two amazing children, a boy and a girl, and are still enjoying the Navy life.

She spends her days being a Navy wife, homeschool mother, reading books, writing her latest novel, watching her beloved Kansas City Chiefs or Kansas City Royals play, watching movies, hanging out with family and friends and having girls days at least once a month.

WebsiteFacebookAmazonGoodreads

review

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This was my first dive into the Happily Ever Alpha world and it started with a huge boom. Seriously, S. Van Horne fit her characters into the Mayson world almost seamlessly, while staying true to her writing style. Horne was able to keep her voice in the story, while grabbing the essence of the characters from Aurora Rose Reynolds’ imagination. We got to see Conti and Crystal finally get together and we got to see snippets into Kai and Myla’s HEA (plus some bonus scenes with some other characters sneaking in! But I won’t ruin that for ya.) It was truly amazing.

Crystal and Conti are from S. Van Horne’s More series and have been running around each other for a year. A year! They met each other at a bar, had some wild, crazy, intense, monkey sex, and then Crystal snuck out avoiding Conti. Because Crystal didn’t want to clear up the misunderstanding, she made it worse throwing his words back in his face. She didn’t know what those words meant though.

So fast forward a year, to Crystal moving to Hawaii to feel closer to her parents, and Conti going on vacation with his autistic sister (and what’s hotter than a man who takes responsibility without hesitation for his siblings?!) and misunderstandings are cleared up. And I don’t think I’ve heard better advice, “C, pride is like a glass plate.” (I’ll let you read to find out the rest of that statement.)

Not only do Crystal, Conti, and Mads fit in perfectly in Aurora Rose Reynolds’ Mayson world, but they fit perfectly with each other. They were meant for each other. This is the story of insta-love, with the characters not quite believing in insta-love. They know they’ve wasted enough time not being together, but they fight to make sure they are in love.

S. Van Horne had me impatiently reading this book (which means I’ll have to do a re-read because I’m sure I missed something). From the prologue, to the last line, I thoroughly enjoyed myself. I smiled, I laughed, I bit my lip, I bit my nails in anticipation. There aren’t many tense scenes, and it’s mostly a story about the love the two share, so it makes sense that the tense scenes weren’t too intense. I just wish it lasted a little bit longer. It seemed rushed.

But talk about epilogues, because these were seriously my favorite. I had tears (of joy) in my eyes at the end. And multiple epilogues! What’s better than multiples?! Nothing I tell you! Nothing!

So amazing job, and four stars for you Ms. Horne! I cannot WAIT to read the others in the series.

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4star