Sunday, November 16, 2014

Texas Nights Series by Kelsey Cameron


Personal Assets (Texas Nights #1)
By Kelsey Browning
4 Stars
 
I really liked this book.  Personal Assets is the first book in the Texas Nights series and a great way to start this series.  This is a first time read from this author and I look forward to reading more from Ms. Browning. The small town Texas setting was great, the plot was good with tons of humor and romance, and the characters were perfect.  There were several blushing moments that had me fanning myself. 

I loved Allie and Cameron.  They had perfect chemistry and banter.  I also loved the supporting characters especially Roxanne and Jamie.  I can’t wait to see what happens to them.  A little extra sideline that I thought was genius was Charlie and Emmalee.  I love those two. 

Overall, I really was impressed with this book.  I can’t wait to dive into the rest of this series. 

Synopsis:

Sex therapist Allie Shelby has the professional credentials, but she could use a bit more practical experience. Finding the right man to bring out her inner bad girl is tough in a population-challenged Texas town. So when sinfully sexy Cameron Wright rolls back into Shelbyville, Allie wastes no time inviting him to join her in some hands-on research.

Cameron has come home to fulfill his dream of restoring classic cars. Back in high school, he knew the town princess, Allie Shelby, was way out of his league. Today he has even less in common with Allie, so he's shocked as hell when she propositions him. Still, he's only human, so he accepts her offer—and with each encounter, she shows him another, wilder side. Before long, he's thinking about more than just sex.

But while her personal life heats up, Allie's business is about to crash and burn. And she has to convince Cameron that she's one princess who's not looking for a prince to ride to her rescue.





Running The Red Light by Kelsey Browning
Texas Nights # 2
3 Stars
Running The Red Light is the second installment in the Texas Nights series by Kelsey Browning. 

I really enjoyed the first book in this series titled Personal Assets.  I felt that this book just couldn’t compete with the series starter. 

Running The Red Light is a solid read with good characters and a filled to the brim plot, but I was expecting more.  I would not go as far as saying that this second book in the series was a flop, but falling in love with this community and its characters I was expecting at least to have some of the elated feelings the first book brought.

Ms. Browning set the bar extremely high in this series, and I wanted it all in this book.  I still think it was a hit, so if you enjoyed this book check out her first book in this series. 

 Synopsis:

After wearing a “Least Likely to Succeed” label all her life, Roxanne Eberly is hell-bent on making her Red Light Lingerie store successful. Although the residents of small-town Shelbyville, Texas, are a little…lingerie-resistant, she’ll win them over eventually. So when a former employer sues her, putting a major wrinkle in her careful plans, she reluctantly accepts help from hot-stuff Houston attorney Jamie Wright.

Jamie’s on track to become his firm’s youngest partner, but discovers an unwritten prerequisite—marriage. Turns out, the only woman he wants is Roxanne, but peddling thongs and sex toys isn’t a suitable career for the spouse of an up-and-coming attorney.

Jamie’s tangled up in Roxanne’s lawsuit, her life and her lingerie. But if they’re ever going to make it work, Roxanne’s big-city boy will have to decide what he values more: the career he always thought he wanted or the woman he never thought he’d fall for.


Problems in Paradise
Texas Nights #3

This is the third book in this series, and I have stuck with it hoping it would just get better and I am so glad I did.  This book is by far the best one in the series.
This installment is packed full of humor, romance, and sexy times.  This small town has become on of my favorites yet.
Synopsis:
Eden Durant hasn't always been Eden Durant. She's made a fresh start in Shelbyville, Texas, far from her mother's notoriety. Running the Paradise Garden Café is as much excitement as Eden wants—or it was, until she meets Beck Childress. Although he's the one man who could expose her past, she's willing to open up enough to see if he might be her future.

Chief Deputy Childress is determined to get to know the real Eden, when he isn't busy cleaning up after the sheriff and running in the election to replace him. When several men fall sick after eating in Eden's café, he investigates even as her mysterious past raises both his suspicions and his protective instincts.

As their relationship heats up, so do the pressures of Beck's campaign. When Eden's secrets are revealed, jeopardizing his dream of becoming sheriff, he'll need to choose: serve and protect the town he loves or the woman who makes it home.
  

Wednesday, November 12, 2014

The Game Maker Series by Kresley Cole


The Professional : Part 1 by Kresley Cole

The Game Maker # 1.1



 

OK, so some of you guys out there might not know that I have never read Kresley Cole.  I know right?  How can I be a book lover and reviewer and have never read this author?  I have heard fabulous things about her books, but never picked one up until now.  BOY OH BOY!  What have I been missing all this time?

I absolutely loved The Professional.  I know it is short at a little over 100 pages, but those pages are packed full of everything that is contained in a great novel.  I couldn’t believe how great the writing style was and the characters were impeccable. 

The steamy scenes almost melted my Kindle.  I swear I couldn’t put this one down.  I had the text to speech feature going while I was commuting to work and I thought that my battery died at the end.  So at the next red light I looked and it was OVER!  HOLY CLIFHANGER!  I can’t believe that you did this to us Ms. Cole.  I will be getting the next installment as soon as I finish this review.

I think that I might just leave my husband for Sevastyan!

Synopsis:

He makes the rules . . .
Mafiya enforcer Aleksandr "The Siberian" Sevastyan’s loyalty to his boss is unwavering, until he meets the boss’s long-lost daughter, a curvy, tantalizing redhead who haunts his mind and heats his blood like no other. Ordered to protect her, Sevastyan will do anything to possess her as well—on his own wicked terms.

Rules are made to be broken . . .
PhD student Natalie Porter had barely recovered from her first sight of the breathtakingly gorgeous Sevastyan before the professional hit man whisks her away to Russia, thrusting her into a world of extreme wealth and wanton pleasures. With every day she spends under his protection, she falls deeper under his masterful spell.

Are you ready to play?
Yet all is not as it seems. To remove Natalie from an enemy’s reach, Sevastyan spirits her into hiding. From an opulent palace in Russia to the decadent playgrounds of the mega-wealthy in Paris, the two lovers will discover that even their darkest—and most forbidden—fantasies can come true…



The Professional by Kresley Cole

The Professional # 1
 
 
 

OK, so some of you guys out there might not know that I have never read Kresley Cole.  I know right?  How can I be a book lover and reviewer and have never read this author?  I have heard fabulous things about her books, but never picked one up until now.  BOY OH BOY!  What have I been missing all this time?

 I absolutely loved The Professional.  I know it was released in parts and I could not wait for the next part to release.  It was unbelievable how great the writing style was and the characters were impeccable. 

The steamy scenes almost melted my Kindle.  I swear I couldn’t put this one down.  I had the text to speech feature going while I was commuting to work I was so addicted. 

Aleks is the true definition of Alpha male.  This hot Russian is something to look out for.  By far, my best read of 2014!

This is one series that I will be one one click buy from now on, although I’m not sure how Ms. Cole can write a book better than this!

Synopsis:

He makes the rules…

Mafiya enforcer Aleksei “The Siberian” Sevastyan’s loyalty to his boss knows no bounds, until he meets the boss’s long-lost daughter, a curvy, feisty redhead who haunts his mind and heats his blood like no other. Ordered to protect her, Aleksei will do anything to possess her as well—on his own wicked terms.

Rules are made to be broken…

Grad student Natalie Porter had barely recovered from her first sight of the dark and breathtaking Sevastyan before the professional enforcer whisks her away to Russia, thrusting her into a world of extreme wealth and wanton pleasures. Every day under his protection leads her deeper under his masterful spell.

Are you ready to play?

Yet all is not as it seems. To remove Natalie from an enemy’s reach, Sevastyan spirits her into hiding. From an opulent palace in Russia to the decadent playgrounds of the mega-wealthy in Paris, the two lovers will discover that even their darkest—and most forbidden—fantasies can come true…

 


 

Most Wanted Series by J. Kenner


Wanted by J. Kenner
Most Wanted # 1

 




Wanted is the first installment in the Most Wanted series by J. Kenner.  The cover is an eye catcher and is what initially drew me in.  But the book itself is also a hit.

Ms. Kenner does a fantastic job of pulling the audience in as she tells her story though well-developed characters and an easy to follow plot.

The character’s chemistry is smoking hot as well as sexy.  The alluring alpha male is hard to resist and a personal favorite of mine.  The erotic scenes in this book are tasteful and not too over the top. 

I cannot wait for the next addition to this series.

Synopsis:

He is everything I crave, all I desperately want—and he is everything I can’t have.

Evan Black embodies my every fantasy. He is brilliant, fierce, and devastatingly handsome. But he is also headstrong, dangerous, and burdened with secrets.

My family warned me to stay away, that I could never handle Evan’s dark dealings or scarred past. Maybe I should have listened. Maybe I should have run. But our desire is undeniable, and some temptations you just can’t fight.

And from the moment we touch—the passion between us consuming us both—I know that I will never be the same.


Heated by J. Kenner

Most Wanted # 2
 
 
 

In this second installment of the Most Wanted series we get a closer look at the second of the Knights, Tyler Sharp. 

Tyler is a sexy, cocky, alpha of bad boys who is willing to do what it takes for the things he believes in.  He often is in the middle of questionable actions and walks the line between legal and illegal.

Sloane is a cop on medical leave and finds herself pushing her boundaries both personally and professionally after one encounter with Tyler.

These characters are always spot on, that’s why I love this series.  The bad boy image with a heart of gold gets me every time.   Too bad her characters can’t be real life men!

Synopsis:

I grew up believing in right and wrong, good and evil, black and white. I knew better than to trust. And then I met Tyler Sharp.

Bold, charming, and dangerously sexy, Tyler always gets what he wants. But his smile can be deceiving, his dealings sordid, his ambitions ruthless. I thought I was the one woman strong enough to resist him, but our need for each other was too urgent to deny.

One look and I was in trouble. One touch and I was hooked. One night and I became his.

And now that I’ve fallen, there’s no going back.




Alpha Girl Series by Alieen Erin




Becoming Alpha by Aileen Erin
Alpha Girl # 1

Becoming Alpha if the first book in the exciting new series Alpha Girl by Alieen Erin. This author and series are both new to me but I am now an uber fan.
I was so impressed by this book it reminded me of Twilight without vampires but rather with werewolves. I really didn't know what to expect with this book since there are so many books out there in this genre, but this book was magical and easy to read.
The plot was not boring and kept me interested and turning pages the whole book. I have to admit that I devoured this book in one sitting and it left me wanting more of the St. Ailbe's Academy crew and especially Tessa and Dastien.
Talk about hot alpha male, Dastien's mysterious quality had me from first bite. Also this unique book has a hot alpha female too! With the banter between friends and the chemistry that can cinch the hairs on your skin, this book has it all!
Another quality I loved is this book has a cast of secondary character that are amazing. Every character has a place and mesh perfectly together. I can't wait for the second book in this series.
So if you are a fan of YA paranormal romance with action and adventure than get yourself hooked on the Alpha Girl seres.
Synopsis:
Tessa McCaide has a unique talent for getting into trouble. Then again, it isn't easy for a girl with visions to ignore what she sees. Luckily Tessa and her family are leaving California and moving halfway across the country, giving her the perfect opportunity to leave her reputation as "Freaky Tessa" behind.

But Tessa doesn't realize that kissing the wrong guy in her new Texas town could land her in far more trouble than she ever imagined. Like being forced to attend St. Ailbe's Academy, a secret boarding school for werewolves.

Even if the wrong guy did accidentally turn her into one of "them" and doom her to attending the weirdest high school ever, Tessa can't help her growing attraction to the mysterious Dastien Laurent.

When vampires attack St. Alibe's and her visions pinpoint an enemy in their midst, Tessa realizes that boy drama and her newfound canine tendencies might just be the least of her problems.




Avoiding Alpha by Aileen Erin
Alpha Girl #2


Avoiding Alpha is the second book in the Alpha Girl series and this novella packed quite the punch.  It was just as good as the first book in the series, maybe a little better.  It has hints of romance as well as giving background into Tessa and her family’s past. 

If you are look for a YA paranormal serial pick up the Alpha Girl series. 

 

 Synopsis:

Seventeen-year-old Tessa McCaide has come a long way since her abrupt entrance into the world of werewolves, but she still has just as far to go before she’s comfortable with turning full wolf. In the meantime, she’s avoiding the topic of shifting to four legs any way she can. Thankfully her mate, Dastien Laurent, is quite the distraction.

When she finds her best friend, Meredith, getting sick in the bathroom, Tessa knows something’s majorly wrong. Meredith was cursed years ago, and the dark magic kept her wolf dormant—only now the wolf is awake, and that same spell is killing her.

Tessa has no intention of sitting around while Meredith wastes away. Even if it means playing with magic she doesn’t understand, she’ll do anything to save Meredith’s life. Including bargaining with the local coven of witches and its crazed leader, whose only goal is getting Tessa to join the witchy ranks.

Can Tessa save her friend without losing herself?



Love in Balance Series by Jessica Lemmon


Can’t Let Go by Jessica Lemmon

Love in Balance # 1.5


Can’t Let Go is a novella that takes place between books one and two in the Love in Balance series by Jessica Lemmon.  This novella was long enough to get me hooked on Aiden and Sadie and short enough to leave me wanting more. 

I love Sadie and Aiden.  The sweet relationship they are developing is envious.  The chemistry between the characters is fan worthy and the banter is a great addition.  The writing style draws readers in.  I can’t wait for the second installment of this series Hard to Handle.

Synopsis:

Can't Let Go is a PREQUEL novella to Hard to Handle, a "before" the happily ever after...

A LOVE IN THE BALANCE NOVELLA

AN INSTANT SPARK
Sadie Howard would never admit there's such a thing as love at first sight, but she can't deny the connection between her and sexy Adonis Aiden Downey. She also can't deny she loves to kiss him-his mouth might be his most precious asset. Despite every promise to herself not to get involved any deeper than a first date, she can't keep from seeing more of Aiden . . . in more ways than one.

Aiden Downey had no idea the hot blonde from the club would trigger his protective, gentle nature, but the moment she drops her guard and he sees the real Sadie Howard, he's a goner. When a family crisis puts the brakes on their budding romance, can Aiden find a way to hold on to her? Or will he lose the best thing in his life just as quickly as he found her? 25,000 words






Hard to Handle by Jessica Lemmon

Love in Balance # 2
Hard to Handle is the second installment in the Love in Balance Series by Jessica Lemmon.  I started this series with # 1.5 and absolutely fell in love with Sadie and I Aiden’s story.  I had to know more about this couple. 

The couple reconnects at their friends wedding.  This is approximately a year after their gut wrenching split.  These two think that they have moved on, but quickly rekindle past feelings. 

I was rooting for the pair at the end of Can’t Let Go, but was swept up in the banter, chemistry, and feelings that they still have for each other. 

I can’t wait for more of this series.  Maybe Lyon will get a loving stepmother?

Synopsis:

ONCE BURNED Sadie Howard never dates a guy more than once-but Fate has other plans for her when it comes to Aiden Downey, the one that got away. Aiden loved her, left her, and broke her heart. Yet suddenly she's bumping into him at every turn, driven to distraction by his wicked grin and rock-hard body. Now she can't resist finishing what they started-as long as she doesn't let herself fall in love...

TWICE AS TEMPTING Aiden Downey threw away the best thing he ever had when he let Sadie go, and now he's determined to win back the woman he's always wanted. Sadie agrees to let him into her life-and her bed-as long as there are no strings attached. But Aiden's not about to make the same mistake again. Can he convince her to take a second chance on a once-in-a-lifetime love?

 
The Millionaire Affair by Jessica Lemmon
Love In Balance # 3
I am a fan of this series as well as Ms. Lemmon and her easy to read books, having said that I knew that I would continue with this series. 

In this book we get the pleasure of know Landon the older sibling and millionaire of the family.  This is a great read that is full of enjoyment and little drama.  The story flows, the characters are good, and the series is a favorite of mine.

 

Synopsis:

LOVE IS A DEAL BREAKER . . . Millionaire ad executive Landon Downey has a policy: no romantic relationships allowed. So when he's saddled with his six-year-old nephew for a week, he doesn't think twice about asking Kimber Reynolds to act as live-in nanny. What he doesn't expect is the undeniable attraction to the woman he hasn't seen since they were kids. And not only does she like him back-she suggests they work their way down a list of extracurricular activities in the bedroom. How can he resist? Kimber wants to prove once and for all that she can love 'em and leave 'em with the best of them. All she has to do is keep her sixteen-year crush on Landon out of the equation. No problem . . . until she realizes she may not be the only one whose heart has gotten completely tangled up in their no-strings agreement.!

Monday, November 10, 2014

The Scarab Beetle Series C.L. Stone


The Academy: Thief
By C.L. Stone
The Scarab Beetle #1


This new spin off series in The Academy series has a more mature vibe than the first Academy series. 

This is the start of something special with the perfect balance of mystery, action and hotties.  The newest branch of The Academy boys hit hard and heavy in this fast paced action packed drama.  The cliff hanger ending will leave you wanting the next installment now!

 

Synopsis:

Kayli Winchester is a dirt-poor girl living out of a hotel, forced to be the parent for a drunken father and teenage brother who she’s desperate to keep in school. The only way she scrapes by is to utilize her one skill: pickpocketing. But even though she’s a thief she has a moral code: no kids or old ladies, only targets who can defend themselves. Not that they see her coming…

Thinking she’s been working under the radar, Kayli has no idea The Academy has been watching and taking notice. Now a team that needs her skill has offered her a way out of her predicament and it’s her last chance: work with them, or face jail time. Kayli resists at first, but slowly the boys reveal they can be trusted. With Marc, the straight man, Raven, the bad-boy Russian, Corey and Brandon the twins as different as night and day, and Axel their stoic leader, there’s a lot Kayli can learn from these Academy guys about living on the edge of the law. If only she can stay on the good side instead of the bad.

Especially when the job they offer her is more than any of them bargained for. After it’s done, the hunters have become the hunted and their target is now after Kayli. The Academy boys do their best to keep her hidden, but a thief like Kayli will never sit still for long.

Meet an all-new Academy team in Thief, the beginning of the Scarab Beetle series.

Warning: This is a new adult series. Readers of the other Academy series may need some caution as this series will contain mature sexual and violent situations and themes.

Inside Out Series by Lisa Renee Jones

Being Me (Inside Out #2)
 by Lisa Renee Jones

 4 Stars

Being Me is the second installment of the Inside Out Trilogy.  The intriguing, sultry, mysterious romance will captivate readers and leave them wanting more.

This book blew me away; however, I have not read the first book in this series so I did feel a disadvantage during the first 25% of the book.  After that point the author did a great job of catching up reader like me, so I had an idea of what happened in the first book.  As we peel back the layers of this sexy book, it is so much more than just the new age erotica.  It is about finding yourself and trusting not only yourself but others as well.  The plot is like no other, well thought out and precise.  I have truly never read anything that compares to the way this book was written.  The characters are flawed to perfection, leaving readers with a real connection.  Not only are these characters strong, but vulnerable in their own way; which is hard to find in a book.  Mrs. Jones most definitely has a golden pen and I so happy to have discovered her work.

Synopsis:

 Fascinated by the dark fantasies in the journals she’s discovered, and the two men who have now found a place in her life, Sara McMillan finds herself torn between her new life and her past. Now, more than ever, Sara identifies with the lost journal writer, Rebecca, and is certain that something sinister has happened.

In the arms of the sexy, tormented artist Chris Merit, Sara seeks answers about Rebecca and ends up discovering things about herself she never knew existed. Chris forces Sara to reconsider who she is and what she truly wants from life, but not before his dark desires threaten to tear them apart. Her boss, Mark Compton, offers her the shelter to understand just what those needs mean to her, and what they might have meant to Rebecca, but can she trust him to lead her to a final conclusion to Rebecca’s story?


The Mater Undone (Inside Out 2.5)
by Lisa Renee Jones





 

4 Stars
 Being new to the Inside Out Trilogy, this novella has given me great insight into Mark Compton’s world.  I started this series with Being Me, and although Mark was in this book he was not the main focus.  I really liked him in the second installment so this book was a pleasant surprise. 

I loved seeing this softer side of Mark.  His is very dominant, confident, and sexy in the other books, so seeing this side of his character really makes me love this series even more.  Now, I definitely have to go back and read the first book.

Synopsis:

In her private journals, Rebecca laid bare her soul, revealing her obsession for the one man whose erotic demands captivated her imagination--and enslaved her forever. Now, with Rebecca no longer in his life he is lost, questioning everything he thought he knew about himself and about control he holds in such high regard. One women will reach out to heal him and then turn away, leaving him haunted. She is nothing he thought he wanted and somehow everything he needs. He tells himself to forget her but he cannot escape his desire for her. He has to have more...


Revealing Us (Inside Out 3#)
 by Lisa Renee Jones



 

4 Stars

I fell in love with this series in the last month or so and I am starting the first book tonight.  I really like the Ms. Jones abandoned the trilogy and started up with a series.  I really enjoy her writing style and he characters.

Revealing Us is the third installment in the Inside Out series and might not be my favorite book in this series, but is an important addition to Chris and Sara’s story. I felt like the mystery that I loved in the previous book was no longer there since Rebecca’s plotline was somewhat resolved. But this book gives back-story to Chris and makes us love him more.  It also goes deeper into the BDSM lifestyle but not too much.  I don’t particularly love that type of book, but this book is on the lighter side of the genre and it makes for an interesting plot addition. 

I loved the fact that we got to see inside Chris’ life and all the pain he has gone through.  It brings the reader closer to his character.  I also love how strong Sara has gotten over the course of this series.  The Ella side plot is going to be interesting and I can’t wait to get my hands on the next chapter.

I loved the previous covers in this series, but this cover just didn't do it for me.  I thought the cover was not cohesive with the rest of the covers.
 
Synopsis:
 
The third installment in the sexy Inside Out erotic romance series—in the seductive tradition of Fifty Shades of Grey.

You've discovered Rebecca's secrets. You've discovered Sara's secrets. Now Sara will discover "his" deepest, darkest secrets...but will those secrets bind them together--or tear them apart?
 

 
His Secrets by Lisa Renee Jones

Inside Out # 3.1

 Honestly, I love this series!  In His Secrets we learn much more about Chris as it is written in his POV.

This novella packs a punch in the 100 or so pages, but is completely necessary to fully understand these complex characters.

New twist and turns reveal themselves leaving an opening for the plot to go in several different directions. 

Every word Lisa Renee Jones writes in this series has a meaning, so pay attention or you just might miss something important.

Synopsis:

An Inside Out story, Chris's POV

In a world where my only escape has been my art, Sara has been the light in my darkness. And there is darkness, the kind of inky black that can bleed from my life to hers.
She doesn't see it. She doesn't understand what I've shown her. And my biggest fear is that soon...she will.

Rebecca’s Lost Journals

by: Lisa Renee Jones

Inside Out # 3.2



In this installment of the Inside Out series we get to read Rebecca’s journals and get a better picture into her life as we dive deeper into her escapades.

Synopsis:

Rebecca’s Lost Journals.....

Rebecca Mason has known heartache and sorrow in her life, losing everyone she loves. She’s on her own in San Francisco, lost in every way, until she dares to make the decision to chase her dream of working in the art world. It is then that he meets a rich, seductively powerful man who will become the Master she never knew she wanted and change her life forever. He will lead her on a dark, passionate journey where pain is pleasure and pleasure is pain, and where every limit she once had is no more. In this man, she will find solace to her pain, an escape from the ache inside her. And in him, she will discover a darkness she may never escape.