ARC Review: Lingerie Wars by Janet Elizabeth Henderson

Title: Lingerie Wars
Author: Janet Elizabeth Henderson
Publisher: Self-published
Publication Date: June 14, 2013

My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

From Goodreads:

Englishman Lake Benson loaned his life savings to his dippy sister so that she could buy a shop. It was a big mistake. His sister has been steadily flushing his money down the drain – and now he wants it back. Years in the special forces taught Lake that if you want a job done, do it yourself. So he steps in to make the shop profitable, sell it and get his money back. The only problem is, the business is an underwear shop. And all Lake knows about underwear can be summed up in how fast he can unsnap a bra. To make matters worse, the tiny highland town already has a lingerie shop. A successful one, run by an ex-lingerie model. A very gorgeous ex-lingerie model, who’s distracting him from his mission more than he’d like to admit. If Lake wants to get his savings back, and get out of Scotland, he only has one option – wipe out the competition.

Kirsty Campbell has spent years rebuilding her life after she woke up in hospital in Spain to find her body scarred, and her ex-fiance had run off with all her money. The last thing she needs is a cocky, English soldier-boy trying to ruin all she has left. Her home town is only too happy to help her fight the latest English invasion, although Lake is beginning to sway them with his sex appeal and cut price knickers. With the help of her mother, and the retired ladies of Knit or Die, Kirsty sets about making sure that her shop is the last one standing in Invertary.

It’s Scotland versus England as you’ve never seen it before. It’s lingerie war.

My Thoughts:

What a great book! This one made me laugh, a lot, while also being sweet with just enough steam to keep things interesting.

In Lingerie Wars, we meet Lake, who has come to the small town of Invertary, Scotland to bail his sister out. Again. Rainne borrowed Lake's money to buy a lingerie shop. But wasn't doing that great a job in making money. Or running it. Or competing with the other lingerie shop in town, which Rainne had failed to tell Lake about. So Lake come's to his sister's rescue and runs into Kirsty, the owner of the other shop. Kirsty is struggling, in both business and life. She's recovering from injuries she sustained in a very bad car accident as well as her ex-fiance having run off with all her money. See, Kirsty had been a lingerie model before hte accident. But now, the scars, emotional and phsycial, are keeping her closed off. She still has family and friends of course, but she isn't putting herself out there like she used to.

But all that changes when the competition between Kirsty's store and Lake/Rainne/Betty's store, heats up. The "war" has everyone in town taking sides and in some cases, joining in to bring down the other with often crazy, hair-brained antics. The break in while Lake and Kirsty were having dinner had to be one of the best comedic scenes I've ever read in fact. It had me laughing until my stomach hurt. But in addition to the shenanigans as they tried to out-do the other, there was also tension between Kirsty and Lake. A good and sexy kind of tension that caused its own problems, and some times detentes, in the war. But even though the two recognized their feelings for each other, there were still secrets. Lake was in Invertary for a reason and he wasn't staying long, after all. He had other plans; other things to do. And once the war was done and he came out on top, would take his leave.

Too bad Kirsty and Rainne were left in the dark about that.

I don't want to go too deep in the weeds about what happens in this book because I don't want to give anything away. But I do want to address an important part that was touching, sweet and had a personal impact on me. And that was when Lake helped Kirsty deal with her scar issues. Having several scars myself from childhood surgeries, I know all about the self-consciousness they can cause. Mine are barely visible anymore, but they're still there, or at least, I know they are there. And it bugs me to no end. In the back of mind I'm always thinking someone will see, or comment on them, or just even think something about them. I'm better with them now than when I was younger but still, dealing with scars, emotional and/or physical can be tough. And even if people can't see them, that doesn't mean they don't effect the person who has them in significant ways. In Lingerie Wars I thought that the author dealt with Kirsty's issues in a very realistic and respectful manner. The way Lake saw past all that, and the way he handled Kirsty with such great care (at least regarding those issues!) was fantastic. And because of that and the way he took things slow, for her, was beautiful. Lake waited patiently while she came to terms with the fact that yes, a man like Lake liked her and didn't care one lick about the scars. The scars didn't define her and they didn't make her less of a person. It was almost like he didn't like her in spite of her scars, but instead he liked her because of them (or at least in part) and how they showed she was strong and a survivor.

I knew that there would be a "bad guy" and I was waiting awhile for him to show up. I think the way this part of the story was handled worked well. The suspense didn't overpower the story this way nor did the author get too far in the weeds about any grand conspiracies or massive crime rings. Instead the author kept the focus on Kirsty and Lake, their lingerie war, with just a dash of a "baddie" to deal with. But again, I want to stress that this book isn't just about a war between two lingerie shops. Lake's presence and undeniable attraction to Kirsty, as well as their "war", helped Kirsty move on from a traumatic past. It not only helped her in her business, but it also gave Kirsty the courage to put herself out there again and not let her stupid ex and what he did keep her down. Lake opened her up to a whole new world, and life, and it was a great journey to be a part of.

I'm excited for the next book in this series and hopefully we see more of the Invertary residents we were introduced to. Betty was a hoot and I laughed so hard in some of those scenes. And the cardboard cut-out of Lake?! I was laughing so hard at one point I couldn't even speak. Oh, and we can't forget the Knit or Die group. When they had the t-shirts made that said "SOD OFF", I could not stop the tears of laughter streaking down my cheeks. Caroline also made me smile; she was sweet and nice and I really hope she gets an HEA at some point in the series. I hated Lake's parents though. They were awful and mean and I wanted to run them over with their bus. And isn't that the mark of a good author, making me want to commit violence against fictional characters?! :D

I do need to mention the side story of Alistair and Rainne. Dear god, that part broke my heart. Just shattered it. I even dreamt about them when I went to bed and I woke up with all these feels and angst, and just, I can't even explain it without giving too much away! (Gah! If anyone has read this, or when you do, we need to exchange notes on that!!) . That's how much of an impact their story had on me. I wonder if we'll see them again. I hope so.

This is a fun, sweet, romantic, and humorous read that I would recommend to anyone likes to both laugh and swoon while reading. The writing was well done and I saw zero, yeah, I said -zero- editing issues. All in all, a solid read and one which I will likely re-read again and again. Now what are you waiting for? Start reading!

Here are the purchase/info links:
Amazon
Barnes and Noble
Goodreads

*I received an ARC of this book via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.*

Review: Causing Havoc (SBC Fighters, #1) by Lori Foster

Title: Causing Havoc (SBC Fighters, #1)
Author: Lori Foster
Publisher: Berkley
Publication Date: February 6, 2007

My Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars

From Goodreads:

Orphaned and torn from his sisters as a boy, sexy extreme wrestler Dean "Havoc" Conor gets a letter revealing how much his siblings want him back in Harmony, Kentucky. To stop his sister from marrying a sleazeball, Dean finds himself teaming up with her pretty-but-smart-mouthed friend Eve-who's heard of Havoc's reputation and doesn't need some hunk trampling on her heart. Now all Dean has to do is protect his sisters, win Eve over, and expose a devious criminal. And he thought winning the heavyweight belt was hard.

My Thoughts:

This book absolutely blew me away. I know. I tend to gush and gush and gush about my favorite books. And this one is certainly added to that list.

It had been on one of my TBR lists for awhile now. But I wasn't sure if I'd like it so I kept hesitating. Then I found a copy at the local library and thought "Hey! I can read the first in the series and see if I like it first!". Brilliant thought. I know. LOL

So that's what I did and I am so glad.

The story is about Dean "Havoc" Conor and reconnecting with his sisters. The back story regarding Dean and his family is heartbreaking. The fact these siblings were separated was a tragedy and what they each went through and how they dealt with their reunion seemed as realistic as a fiction novel could get. Dean fought his brotherly feelings, his anger sometimes clouding his judgement as he struggled with his new emotions. He also had to protect himself. Or so he thought.

One of the best parts of the books though was Gregor. Although he was a fellow fighter and wanted a match with Dean, he was also his friend. And he was also funny, strong, protective and fell hard for a certain woman in the book. Their courtship was cute, as was Dean's reaction to it. I'm not going to reveal who Gregor's love interest is, you'll have to read it to find out. But it was nicely done and didn't feel out of place with the rest of the story.

Okay, now on to the main characters-Dean and Eve. These two met and there was a definite spark between them. They didn't even know who the other was (Eve was Cam -one of Dean's sister's- best friend) but they knew they wanted each other. And wanted each other badly. When the connection is made, although there is a bit of hesitation from Eve, Dean is very convincing and the two explore their relationship. So many romances have the main characters waffling back and forth, pushing and pulling at each other. This wasn't the case in Causing Havoc and this was refreshing.  And the intimate scenes between Eve and Dean? Well, let's just say that Lori Foster can write a sex scene that can burn up the pages with it's intensity.

The plot itself, involving some mysterious things that start to happen when Dean arrives in town and reunites with his sister, isn't something that was difficult to figure out. By the time I was at the half way mark I was able to narrow the baddie down to two people. I will say that I was leaning towards the wrong person by the end, but I didn't mind this. I liked the surprise. The only real issue I had with this book was with Cam's wanna be fiance. He really annoyed me and of all the characters, I felt he was very cartoon-like. Whenever he had dialogue all I could think about was the guy from Popeye who was always trying to get his girl. Ya know who I'm talking about-that Bluto guy. Because of this, I was very surprised by the ending and how things worked out with Cam and Roger.(Again, I won't say what that ending was so as to not spoil it. You'll just have to read it to find out!)

Here are some of the purchase/informational links for the book: Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Goodreads

So, have you read CAUSING HAVOC? What did you think? Is this a book you think pick up? Are there any other books out there with "fighter" Heroes I should check out? Let me know in the comments! 

*This book was a self-purchase and I was not in any way compensated for, or even asked, to review this book. All opinions are my own*

ARC Review: Fire Inside (Chaos #2) by Kristen Ashley

Fire Inside by Kristen Ashley
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I wasn't sure going into this book how KA was going to accomplish everything she had to make this book amazing. How was she going to answer the questions people had about Hop from Motorcycle Man? How would Lanie be made into a KA heroine that her readers could relate to? Could she pull it off and make her readers fall for this hero and heroine, as they had for so many of her fictional couples before them?

I don't know why I had these questions. I should have just trusted the woman. I mean seriously, someone smack me on the side of the head next time I even think of doubting KA's awesomeness and her ability to redeem characters.

First, let's start with Lanie. I did not like her in Motorcycle Man. I thought she was a materialistic, stuck up snob. And I didn't think she could ever do anything to deserve a Chaos hunk. But I was so wrong. After going into FI with trepidation about her character, I quickly saw the layers that went into Lanie and how she might SEEM materialistic and stuck up, but she was using that as a shield. She didn't have a great home life and did a lot of what she did to protect herself, to shield herself from getting hurt the way her father hurt her mother.

Now, let's talk about Hop. Hop in MM did something that many in the KA support addicts group deemed unforgivable. It seemed like, from the events in MM, that he cheated on his wife. During the wait for FI's release, I was one who tried to put my faith in KA and wait and see what the explanation was. After all, in MM we only get a glimpse of the events AND we only get in Tyra's POV. As a Writing instructor I know how important POV is. What one person sees or thinks can be no where near the truth of what is actually happening. Yes, he did have sex with BeeBee in MM. But so did Tack. So that in and of itself didn't make him a bad guy-just a guy with bad taste for the moment. And Tack tells Tyra in MM that she doesn't know the whole story, to leave it alone and that things are what they seem. This was confirmed in Own the Wind (Chaos #1) when Shy and Tabby talk about Hop. But again, in OtW, we don't get all the details and are still in the dark.

In FI, I am happy to say that what happened with Hop and his status during the MM motorcycle incident are realistically explained. KA did not change history or back story. I know some people think that, but she did not. I am adamant about this because the "history" we have in MM and OtW aren't the actual facts. They are perceptions built on assumptions and for Tyra, false assumptions. Tack tried to tell Tyra in MM to let it go.

Sadly she did not. She is what caused the drama (or some of it) for Lanie and Hop. This disappointed me about Tyra and I blame her hanging out with Elvira and Gwen for becoming more of a gossip. She rattles on about Hop to Lanie and Elvira and all hell breaks loose. Lanie runs, flips out on Hop and THEN we get the truth. We find out the most heartbreaking story, something that not only affected him but also his kids, and I was so mad at Tyra for her blabber mouth and Lanie for her idiocy that I wanted to reach into the book and smack them both. Hard. I know it had to happen-we needed the "big misunderstanding" for the truth to come out. But I do wish we saw Tack get pissed at Tyra for doing what she did and not being a good old lady-he told her she had to keep her mouth shut in MM and not to assume. She not only did neither of those things, but she blabbed club business to people she shouldn't have (namely, Elvira).  This was not good MC behavior.

But anyway, it served its purpose and we got the details about Tack and I can happily say he did not cheat. But what happened (i.e. what caused the incident itself and the subsequent mess that not only crushed Hop but could have devastating effects on his kids when they find out the truth; especially for his son) made me cry. And it made me hate his bitch of an ex-wife. Some may call it cliche-having the crazy or horrid ex-wife, but honestly, it's romance. There is always going to be some kind of trope like this used-a stalker, an ex, a crazy step-brother, etc, etc. There needs to be something in the characters' backgrounds that make them act the way they do, and in this case, it hurt to see how badly Hop was betrayed by his wife. And Lanie should have talked to him, not made an assumption and ran, believing Tyra's ridiculous and inaccurate gossip. The subsequent scenes were heart-wrenching and I was a bit worried that our MCs wouldn't get an HEA, or not one that they deserved. But again, my doubts were washed away with an amazing resolution and I loved the epilogue.

One thing I will say about this series is I love how the "action" is being built up. This book runs parallel to Own the Wind so we see the same (and additional) events regarding Benito, but from a different POV.  I'm assuming that things will ratchet up as the series progresses with it ultimately coming to a head in the final book of the series which will focus on Rush. I think there are two more between FI and Rush's book so things I am sure will continue to get interesting.

*I received this ARC from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.*



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Book Review: Star Crossed by Kele Moon (Battered Hearts #2)

Title: Star Crossed (Battered Hearts #2)

Author: Kele Moon

Publisher: Loose Id LLC

Publication Date: July 3, 2012

My Rating: 5 out 5 Smoking Hot Stars!

This is the second book in the Battered Hearts series, focusing on MMA fighters (current and retired) and the women who love them. I liked the first in this series, Defying the Odds a lot but this second book, Star Crossed, is a huge 5 star read that I could not get enough of.

From Goodreads:

Heavyweight MMA fighter, Romeo Wellings comes from the hard streets of New York where his family ties to the mafia cause him nothing but pain. His life takes a surprising detour when he crosses paths with the twin sister of his long time enemy. After a steamy one-night stand, he faces the fight of his life, but it’s not in the cage. The secret relationship that blooms between Romeo and his real life Juliet has him battling his family and a dark past rather than let her go. 



The only lawyer in her hometown of Garnet, Jules Conner is also a volunteer Sheriff’s deputy and co-owner of a successful MMA training center. Strong and dependable, Jules is always there for those who need her. Until one forbidden night in Las Vegas with Romeo leaves her feeling so alive she can’t stop reaching out to the sexy, bad boy of MMA, even knowing the forbidden love affair could jeopardize everything.



As the tide rises against them and the people they love work at keeping them apart, Romeo and Jules hold onto a dream for a better life together and vow to go down fighting rather than accept a tragic ending.

My Thoughts:

I cannot begin to tell you how much I loved this book. I mean, I'm going to tell you, of course I am. This is a book review after all. But it's hard to find the words to describe how freaking amazing this book is. Let me try to explain what I mean. Those who know me (or have looked at my Goodreads "read" shelf) will notice that I read a lot. I also re-read a lot. I have a ton of books on my Kindle app and my Nook that I still have not read. And don't get me started on the paperback books I have or the ones I get from the library. But despite all these there are times, like the last two weeks, where I have trouble finding a book that really grabs my attention. I have done a lot of re-reads of faves lately because everything I picked up was just "blah".  Either it was too much sexy and not enough plot, or too much inner dialogue and not enough action/communication.  I just couldn't find books that grabbed me.

But this changed when I realized I had yet to read Star Crossed by Kele Moon. As I mentioned earlier, I had read the first in this series and liked it a lot.  I gave it 4 stars on Goodreads. I figured this would be around the same in it's awesomeness but Romeo and Juliet surpassed all my expectations.

I loved Juliet. At first I thought, "Okay, a book with the MCs named Romeo and Juliet; please let this not be hokey." And I am happy to say it was not in any way cheesy. It's freaking perfect. I loved Romeo with his shady past and his love for his Juliet and I loved even more how much Juliet wanted to give Romeo happiness and love because he deserved it and had to struggle so much in his life. Their relationship was not ordinary by any means. The book picks up after the end of Defying the Odds and we see just how Romeo Wellings and Juliet Connors met, went to dinner and well, progressed from there. The two weren't able to be together as much as they'd like, at least in the beginning. But seeing how they made this work and began to fall in love even across the miles was the sweetest thing I ever read.  

What about the all important hotness and sex factor? Well in a word, or a few, that was super, smokin, hot. The phone sex, the video chat, the actually being together. Holy freaking smokes people! Have some ice water nearby. Or your guy. Because Kele Moon knows how to write a sex scene that not only oozes sex but has emotional depth as well. This is not easy to do so I give her serious props for that.

I mentioned that the plot was tight, right? I think I did. And it was. I loved the back story of both Romeo and Juliet, and the relationship Romeo had with his brothers, and Juliet had with Wyatt (her twin), was one of love and complications. These complications didn't make it easy for Romeo to be with his Juliet, and at one point I really thought things were going to go south for them.  The fight they had? And what Wyatt did? Ohmigod, I was freaking out! I needed to know what was going to happen and then when it all came to a head?! Frakin A, Ms. Moon, next time just punch in me face, because seriously I was getting all teary eyed and wondering what the hell had happened!

The next book in this series is about Wyatt and Tabitha. I am anxiously awaiting this one cause Wyatt needs some serious lovin' and an HEA.  And just, fyi, after reading this, Kele Moon is going to be getting her own shelf on my Nook Color. And I'm also going to glom her backlist. Like seriously glom people because I have a new fave author!  ♥  This book, and the first one too, will also be going on my Nook's "re-reads" shelf. (See! I am serious guys. I don't re-read all my books. Only a small portion, so the fact that this gets included is a big deal. Well, okay not really, but it's a big deal for me. :D )   

So the bottom line is if you love MMA, or just hot guys in general, strong women, solid story lines  and a tightly written (and well edited) book, you might want to check out this author. I would suggest reading the stories in order so you know the players and what happened at the end of the first book which bleeds into the second.  Also, for those wondering, neither book has a cliffhanger in regards to the main couple. (And thank goodness cause cliffhangers... *shudders*).

Here are the purchase links:  Amazon / Barnes and Noble

*I received an ARC from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.*

Book Review: Own the Wind by Kristen Ashley (Chaos #1)

Title: Own The Wind (Chaos, #1)
Author: Kristen Ashley
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
Publication Date: April 2, 2013

My rating: 4 out of 5 stars

From Goodreads:

Tabitha Allen has a not-so-secret crush on Parker "Shy" Cage. Shy thinks he knows the path Tabby's on and it isn't a good one. So he decides to teach her a lesson to lead her to the right path.

Unfortunately, he was wrong and his actions wound Tabby, breaking her heart. It's Tabby who then teaches Shy a lesson about casting judgment and Shy Cage learns what it feels like to be invisible. But when tragedy strikes and Tabby's heart is broken again, Shy does what he can in the background to help. Trying to forget her heartbreak, Tabby finds herself in danger. To keep it secret from her biker family, the Chaos Motorcycle Club, she calls Shy to rescue her. But when she lets him back in, she gets much more than she bargained for.

Proceed with caution. This review includes spoilers.

Loved loved loved. Beyond freaking loved. I read this over a week ago when I got the ARC and people let me tell you I never was so excited in my life! Now, I know. You're all probably out there rolling your eyes all "Of course she loved it. She fan girls over KA the same way she does over Mal and Firefly." But seriously. I have to admit with this book I was worried. First Tabby is young, about 22 or 23 in the book. I was worried if KA could reel in Tabby's younger voice, and maturiry in some ways, realistically given most of her heroines are late twenties plus. And I also worried that, since this was her debut with a traditional publisher, an editor would take away her amazing  detailed, descriptive voice. So weith trepidation I loaded it on my Nook and dove in head first.

Why did I doubt KA? She nailed it. Tabby was young, she was wild and Shy messed up big time trying to get her to straigthen her life out. Both Shy and Tabby suffered for this mistake. But they also both grew up, grew apart and then were brought back together in a friends to lovers that had me tearing up at several points. And I think that part, the section where Kristen Ashley writes Shy and Tabby re-connection  Shy helping her, being there for her as her friend, was amazing  Shy held himself back for Tabby. He let Tabby work through her emotions, the tragedy she had to go through, and waited.

But Tabby was almost too late. And that part nearly killed me. The confrontation between Shy and Tabby, ohmigod. My heart stopped. I couldn't breathe. And then he left! And then, she was leaving. And I was all, oh no she didn't! But she did! But then Shy got word and thank god stopped all that nonsense. I was so freaking relieved.

Seriously. Kristen Ashley can make your heart thump, your eyes burn with tears and your gut hurt from laughing all in the same book. This is not an easy feat. and this is why she is my hero, biotgh as a reader and a writer. As a reader I want to read stories like this-feel good, sweet, sexy, romances with a happily ever after that leaves me grinning like an idiot for days. And as a writer I want to know how to make my readers feel like that. (Well, when I get some. I'm not published. Yet. lol)

One other aspect of the book I liked was the way Kristen Ashley did the time jumps. Sometimes as a reader it is hard for me to grasp the ides of insta-love in about 2 weeks and the characters are already planning for weddings and babies. Now, in some books and with some characters I can deal with this and even is some Krsiten Ashley books it's believable. But with Tabby and the loss she experienced I was so glad to see MS. Ashley take a slow, measured progression of the two, taking Shy and Tabby from barely speaking to friends, to lovers. It didn't feel rushed and it made the story that much sweeter for me. We see the growth of both main characters, as well as the good times and the bad that they experience.  There are times jumps here and there (sometimes only a week, or a day,. sometimes 2 months, sometimes longer) but the time doesn't effect the story or the characters other than to show just how well Shy and Tabby fit together.


Shy's back story was tragic, heartbreaking and brought tears to my eyes, but he was so controlled and mature about it. Sure he freaked at one point and I was worried he was going to go all SOA on the guy, but he pulled it together, for Tabby, for his brother  and for himself. I like seeing that maturity in a character and not someone who goes off all half cocked and has to beg for forgiveness all the time.

Okay, so now I need to talk about Tack and Tyra. Many of you know that I love the book Motorcycle Man. Tack is my favorite book boyfriend. He is in so many ways the ideal alpha male. I didn't think my love for him could ever, ever, wane. But oh Tack. He fraked up in this book.  In fact, I was so angry at Tack and Tyra I had to put my Nook down and do some meditative breathing exercises. I was pissed at Rush too. Those judgmental ba%&$#*@! It took me a lot longer to forgive them, Not calling her girl back? What was that about? And then the confrontation at the Clubhouse? Oh no Tack, do not even go there. Tabby has a seriously big heart because I think I would have held that grudge a lot longer if that happened to me and my guy. I was really disappointed in their reaction, but eventually, redemption was made and well, I am back to loving Tack. Sort of. *glares at the Motorcycle Man cover on my Nook*

There is an overarching mystery, which I knew would have something to do with Natalie the moment she was seen on the page, is interesting and has me waiting impatiently for Fire Inside, which is now releasing a whole month early (June, 2013 *squeeeeeeeeeeeeeee*) .  Benito seems like one serious bad ass given what he is a part of, and the last bit, from Tack's point of view, freaked me out a little. He seems to know that this could go bad. Really bad. And Tack thinking that, well hell. I think this means we're all in for a rough ride.

Lastly, let's talk about the hotness factor. The steamy scenes? Well they are scorching. I'm always impressed with Kristen Ashley and how well she can convey emotions during these scenes, but with Shy and Tabby, well holy hell, those two have some serious stamina. But it wasn't just about the sex. These two characters brought forth the intensity of their emotions for each other and I liked that just as much as the steam factor.  I did think they were a tad tamer than some of her other books but I'm not sure if this was a conscious decision or editorial.

And now, as I wind down this review, I need to talk about my man, Hopper. So many folks on the GR boards was freaking out that Hop was a cheater, how could Kristen even think of making him a hero and well, blah blah blah. I was a staunch defender of Hop and vowed not to judge him until I heard his side of the story. And not to say I told you so, but well, I did.  I knew, I just knew that KA would not have made Hop a cheater.  Kristen Ashley made perfectly clear that, like I surmised, he was technically not with his wife when he slept with that whore from Motorcycle Man. *Cue Ross on Friends. "We were on a breakkkkkkkkk!*

Oh and I can't leave without mentioning the cameos. There are a lot of freakin Denver cameoes that had me squealing all over the place. I won't say who but let me just tell you I nearly fainted at the mention of the first Denver bad ass, and then, the scene towards the end, I was Kermit-flailing all over the place. I know, getting all these guys working together is going to be so much hotness and awesome my Nook might burn up by the end of this series.

I wonder who book three will be about. (We know the last book in the series will be Rush)  It could be Joker, or maybe one of the older Chaos boys. Or Lan maybe? Not sure. But seriously, Joker has me intrigued. There is something about him that. Oh and the reference to SAMCRO had me giggling since I love that show to pieces.

All in all this was a great story and well worth the wait. I can't wait to explore more of the Chaos world and June can't come fast enough!  I am giving props to KA for a great publisher choice and to her publisher for letting Kristen Ashley be who she is and let her awesome light shine through.

Here are the purchase links:  Amazon / Barnes and Noble

*I received an ARC of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.*

Book Review: Serendipity by Carly Phillips

Title: Serendipity (Serendipity, #1)
Author: Carly Phillips
Publisher: Berkley
Publication Date: September 6, 2011

My Rating: 5 out of 5

Ethan Barron! 'Nuff said.

Okay, not really enough said. But holy heck that man is awesome.

This was a classic story of privileged girl and bad boy but there's a twist. By the time we meet the two their roles have been reversed, sort of. Faith's father has gone to jail for a ponzi scheme of epic proportions and bad boy Ethan Barron has, in the 10 years since he left town, made a name for himself and his business, making a boat load of money along the way. From their first meeting as adults you get a sweet feeling of anticipation that carries through the book and definitely pays off in the end.

From Goodreads:

Faith Harrington is a classic girl of privilege-until her father is convicted for running a Ponzi scheme. Now she's back in her hometown, where she runs into her teenage crush-dark, brooding Ethan Barron, who's no stranger to scandal himself.

My Thoughts:


Faith and Ethan have a history. They went to the same high school and Faith, when she was 16 and Ethan was 18, had an encounter on his bike that made a lasting impression on them both. And yes, we're talking motorcycle  not his Schwinn. Faith was the good girl from the right side of the tracks and Ethan was the bad boy all the girls wanted.  The ride home took a slight tour that included some hot kisses but went no further. This was a disappointment for Ethan and also for Faith, but at the time their disappointment was for different reasons.

As the book begins Ethan is heading to the home he just bought in a town he hasn't been back to in 10 years. And just like all those years ago, he spots a woman and that woman is Faith.  We soon learn that Ethan has bought the home she grew up in. The home that was seized and then sold by the government because of her father's misdeeds. Faith has moved back to town to start her new life, to pick up the pieces and start her own business. Ethan has moved back to do the same but for different reasons. Neither expected to see the other but when they do both their lives begin to take unexpected turns neither ever could have ever imagined.

For me, this is where the book took off. And just fyi, this all happens in the first few pages, where you get the short but concise back story. The romance is sweet, not rushed and incredibly sexy.  But the book goes beyond just the obvious romance elements.  It has conflict other than the usual hero versus heroine and/or big baddie vs. hero/heroine. There is pronounced unhappiness within the heroes family. I often find that  in many books either one of the main characters is non-existent or everyone gets along great.  Or, if there is conflict, it's not really explored much.  Serendipity was different. The issues between Ethan and his brothers is serious.  His brothers had a right to be pissed. And even what eventually begins to bring them together, or I should say, starts to, is not in anyway used as an "insta-fix". In fact, it seems brothers still have a ways to go to be truly past, well, the past and I felt for each one of them.  There are feelings of betrayal and blame that exist between them and like in real life, these feelings don't just go away by some magic.   I get why they were hurt. I also understand why Ethan wanted to make things better between them and was glad to see this plot point was not swept under the rug and/or rushed to a conclusion.

The bottom line is that I loved this book and the way the author has introduced the series is intriguing. I am looking forward to finding out more about the other characters and hopefully they too will get an HEA. Ms. Phillips provides just enough of a glimpse of things to come in future books that I can't not continue with this series. The second book will focus on Nash and he needs some serious lovin it seems. I have faith that Kelly can provide that though. I hope!

Here are the purchase links for: Amazon / Barnes and Noble

*This book was a self-purchase and I was not in any way compensated for, or even asked, to review this book. All opinions are my own*

Book Review: One Night With A Cowboy by Cat Johnson (Oklahoma Nights, #1)

Title: One Night With A Cowboy (Oklahoma Nights, #1)
Author: Cat Johnson
Publisher: Kensington Books
Publication Date: February 26, 2013

My rating:  5 out of 5

Who knew that cowboys could be as heart stopping and sexy as military men and cops?! Why did I not know this sooner?!  I clearly need to rectify this situation now that author Cat Johnson has introduced me to the super sexy bull-riding, army man Tucker Jenkins.

From Goodreads:

One Sweet Ride…

Oh yeah. A single look at the leggy blonde in the stands and Tucker Jenkins is ready to buck all night long. It’s time to forget all about his cheating ex and his usual hands off policy.

One Hot Night…

Becca Hart is an East Coast professor. Not a buckle bunny. But no degree can prepare her for the moves of the sexy bull rider she hooks up with at her first rodeo … Or the shock of finding him at her first Oklahoma State University staff meeting.

One Happy Ending…

Tuck knows it’s all about holding on, no matter how wild the ride. Now he just has to convince Becca that a rough start out of the chute doesn’t mean they aren’t a smokin’ combination …

My Thoughts:


First, let's look at the cover again. Isn't that pretty? Well I don't know if pretty is the right word but it's something, yeah? *sighs and gets lost in that belt buckle*

Alright, now wipe the drool from your mouth and let's get on with the review. I won't go over the plot itself other than to say that the blurb is exactly right. Becca takes a new job after her life in New York falls apart but before she does that she visits the place she will eventually take a job. There for her interview she meets a hot cowboy, Tucker Jenkins. At her sister's urging, and needing to put the past behind her, Becca and Tucker spent one hot night together. It was amazing. But the next day, she had her interview and she left.

Of course, this is romanclandia (a place I do not mind visiting, often) so the two eventually run into each other when she takes the job at OSU and finds that he teaches in the ROTC program and coach of the college's rodeo team. Drama and lots of fun between the sheets ensues. But that drama puts a kink in things. And this kink is not the fun kind of kink. It comes in the form of a non-fraternization policy. When Tucker finds out that Becca needs the job because of her debt (from being laid off and having a douche of an ex) he puts distance between them. Except in his case it's literal distance. He goes to Afghanistan to save her job.

I have to say, when he left I was all "Tucker you dumbass!" because I mean hello! Just tell Becca! Don't go to a war zone to save her position! But did he listen? Of course not. He goes anyways. There is fighting and attacks and he and Becca have little communication. And then, and then, the drama ratchets up and gosh darn you Cat Johnson I nearly cried! I mean, the tears were right there. It was stressful and I had to get up and make a frozen pizza and have a glass of wine to drown my considerable sorrows.  But Ms. Johnson came through for me and I thank her for that.

And the end had my toes curling and my breath hitching a little bit because that was one of the sweetest endings I have ever read.

The writing itself was well done and I found no glaring editing errors.  I look forward to reading more books by this author in the future and I really, really, really cannot wait to go back to Oklahoma when the second book in this series comes out! So if you want to read a hot romance with a well thought out plot and lots of sexy times (and creative ones too! I will never ever look at honey the same again), then you might want to check this one out. Now, I'm off to find me a bull-riding cowboy. See y'all in a few days...

Here are the purchase links for the book: Amazon / Barnes and Noble

*I received an ARC of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.*

Book Review: Raid by Kristen Ashley

Title: Raid (Unfinished Hereos, #3)
Author: Kristen Ashley
Publisher: self-published
Publication Date: February 26, 2013

My Rating: 4.25 out of 5

From Goodreads:

Hanna Boudreaux has lived in the small town of Willow, Colorado all her life. The great-granddaughter of the town matriarch, she's sweet, cute and quiet.

Too quiet.

Hanna has a moment of epiphany when she realizes her crush for forever, Raiden Ulysses Miller, is not ever going to be hers. She sees her life as narrow and decides to do something about it.

Raiden Miller is the town of Willow's local hero. An ex-marine with the medal to prove his hero status, he comes home, shrouded in mystery. It takes a while but, eventually, Hanna catches his eye.

But after all these years of Raid and Hanna living in the same town, the question is, why? Is Raid interested in Hanna because she's sweet and cute? Or does Raid have something else going on?

This has some BDSM.

My Thoughts:

Okay, a couple things. First, everyone knows I love Kristen Ashley's books. But even though I await each release with breathless anticipation  I try to stay objective when I review books, even hers, cause I know not everyone is a huge fan like me. So, that being said, let's get into the book. (And beware, possible spoilers ahead).

I love Hanna. She is quiet, shy, a book worm, and just the sweetest heroine ever. Some see her as weak, but not me. I think because I am quiet, shy and a bookworm I really related to her. I don't think I'm the sweetest anything though since I have a mouth on me. Anyways, Hanna was strong for the people she needed to be strong for-her friends, her family and of course, Raid. She had an unusual profession but this too I loved. It fit her well. Hanna was not someone who would fit in an office and she certainly wasn't a social butterfly. So her crocheting business was perfect. (Though I would have loved to see KA dive more into this aspect of Hanna's life. And did I mention my heart did a total flip-flop when she gave Raid one and he slept underneath it.)

Raid was amazing. He was hot, alpha, sexy and he liked to play as in play.  And he did this with Hanna. And when things didn't go right (i.e. she did something she didn't really want to do), like a good dom Raid sensed it and stopped it. He then reminded Hanna she had to speak up, that she had the power and he wanted her to have it to say no. This was awesome. KC, Hanna's bff, had a similar conversation, though it was centered around alphas in general and not sex. This was good. Hanna was naive when it came to knowing how to handle a hot alpha. So the talk with Raid and KC made a world of difference.

Some have mentioned the fact that Raid called Hanna a bitch during a fight and did some other things that this behavior was abusive. No. This was not abuse. Did he act like an ass? Sure. But that is not dv. (If it is, then I've abused one of my exes when I called him a name during a fight. It was a stupid thing to do and I regretted it almost immediately. But I never saw it as abuse since we weren't, well abusing each other, emotionally or otherwise. We said what we said in the heat of the moment and then got over it after apologizing, which is what happened in Raid.)  In addition to that, in the case of Raid, the whole fight started when Hanna brought up a topic he did not want to talk about. (His buddies who were killed in the war and his issues with PTSD resulting from that).  Did he handle it well? Nope. Did he deserve her walking out when he acted like a dick? Yup.  Was she weak for forgiving him? Nope. Not in my opinion. She loved him. He loved her. She wasn't going to give up on him because he called her a name. If he hadn't apologized (and if he doesn't eventually deal with his PTSD) my opinion would be otherwise. But he not only said sorry (which I gotta say is a hella lot more than Tate ever did in Sweet Dreams) but he also started dealing with his condition. Was it handled perfect? Did we see him going to counseling and all that? No. We're told he talked to a friend which helped. Would it have been cool to see how all this played you? Sure, but it wouldn't necessarily be practical or what I wanted. I wanted to read about Hanna and Raid, their romance. So yeah, Raid was an unmitigated ass but most of KA's heroes mess up at some point in her books and all work on redemption. Raid for me was redeemed at the end. (And let's not forget the fight between Ty and Lexi in Lady Luck. Or rather Ty's screaming rampage at Lexi, since she didn't get a word in edgewise. And what about what Chase said to Faith in the beginning of Breathe? Another asshole comment. I could go on, but I won't. I think my point has been made! :D )

So why wasn't this a 5 star read? It was shorter than most, but then I knew that going in since the Unfinished Heroes series is always shorter than her other books. So this wasn't so much a factor. I would have liked to see more of Hanna and her friend KC, and more of Hanna and Raid's sister and mom. Also, one of things I love most about Kristen Ashley's book is the descriptive writing (though I know some people don't like this) and I did feel Raid was missing this.  Lastly, I would have liked to see what happened at and after the hospital from Raid's point of view. But, these were in no way deal breakers for me nor anything that would drop this rating below the 4.25 I gave it.

I can't wait to see more of these characters in Deacon's story.  There is some D/s in the book but it is not anywhere near Knight levels. (And for me, Knight wasn't even that kinky.) The steamy scenes are just that and KA once again hits them out of the park. One thing I really appreciated was how the issue between Knight, Nair and Nick has weaved throughout these stories. I love going back and re-reading to see what clues Kristen has left for us and trying to speculate about what might happen.  (I love me a mystery!)

So check out Raid, and if you haven't met Knight and Creed, I suggest reading those first since Raid gives us a glimpse into their lives as well. (Creed! Yay!!!!)

Here are the purchase links:  Amazon / Barnes and Noble

*This book was a self-purchase and I was not in any way compensated for, or even asked, to review this book. All opinions are my own*

Book Review: Falling For The Lawyer by Anna Clifton

Title: Falling for the Lawyer
Author: Anna Clifton
Publisher: Harlequin Enterprises Australia 
Publication Date: March 1, 2013

Stars: 3.5 out of 5

First I need to make a disclosure: I like books about lawyers and law related story lines. So when I saw the title of this book I knew I wanted to review it. I know, I'm a total nerd, but what can I say? As for the book itself  I am happy to say that I was really impressed. Not only were the characters engaging, but the book was well written with no noticeable errors that I saw. I really look forward to reading more books from this author.

From Goodreads:

Alex Farrer has just one resolution: don't get sacked by the new boss that day. Enter one knight to rescue her from a run‐in with a pile of mud. But will upending Alex's entire life be the next job on her knight's 'to‐do' list, whether she likes it or not?
Legal eagle JP McKenzie has just one resolution: never get involved with a woman who won't stand up for herself. That is until a muddy Alex Farrer lands in his life with a crushingly big mountain of family expectation in tow. So what else is a modern‐day knight to do?

My Thoughts:

I loved Alex right off the bat. She was stressed and convinced that fate and destiny were laughing at her as she struggled to get through her life. She admits to trying to take the reigns and get her life under control, be the 'captain of her life' as she calls it, but the universe seems to get in her way every time.

Until she gets smacked with a whole lotta mud and things change.

JP. What is there to say about this guy? He was funny, smart, hard working, loyal and oh yeah, he was hot. I loved how he acted with Alex, how he supported her and tried to show her that what she wanted was important.

Bonus: this book is set in Australia  I loved this. And I also loved how the language was a tad different. There were some slang words I had to look up but this was because I was curious, not because it was distracting. (I love learning new words. I know, I'm a nerd!)

Steam wise this book is mild. Other than a few kisses here and there (and most of these were 'almost' kisses  ) there wasn't a lot of heat. It wasn't needed though. Because this wasn't just a story about JP and Alex. It was a story about Alex trying to figure out what she wanted to do with her life and going for it. It was about a young woman who wanted a career and a family. She didn't want to give up her job to get married and start having kids. She wanted it all. And meeting JP and working for him let her see that having it all was possible as long as she had the right partner to do it with. (And Simon, ugh..I did not like him at all. Just sayin. I wanted to punch him in the face for not listening to Alex.  Though I do admit, there were times I wanted to slap Alex too. She was wavering, badly. And this is something that annoys me in romance novels, but here I got it mainly because I had to remind myself this wasn't just about Alex and JP finding each other. It was about Alex finding herself.

Oh and the ending? Oh my god the ending...I loved it even though my heart was beating as to what was going to happen. So happy with how it was all resolved!

In terms of writing, the story was well written and the pacing was nice. I wish it was a little longer but it didn't feel rushed.  (And seriously, this is just me. I like long books and am always complaining about this. Not because it has anything to do with the book, but because I don't want them to end!)  Like I mentioned, the setting is Australia and some of the references are to things I had never heard of, but it was nothing that distracted from the book. (I also love all things Australia so I didn't mind one bit!)

Here are the purchase links for the book: Amazon / Barnes and Noble

*I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.*

Book Review: The Look Of Love by Bella Andre (The Sullivans, #1)

Title: The Look of Love
Author: Bella Andre
Publisher: self-published
Publication Date: Sept. 1, 2011

4 out of 5 Stars

Bella Andre's Sullivan series was on sale recently and these were books I had wanted to read for awhile now. I grabbed the first five books in the series and dove into first, The Look of Love, with a vengeance.

From Goodreads:

Chloe Peterson is having a bad night. A really bad night. The large bruise on her cheek can attest to that. And when her car skids off the side of a wet country road straight into a ditch, she’s convinced even the gorgeous guy who rescues her in the middle of the rain storm must be too good to be true. Or is he?

As a successful photographer who frequently travels around the world, Chase Sullivan has his pick of beautiful women, and whenever he’s home in San Francisco, one of his seven siblings is usually up for causing a little fun trouble. Chase thinks his life is great just as it is—until the night he finds Chloe and her totaled car on the side of the road in Napa Valley. Not only has he never met anyone so lovely, both inside and out, but he quickly realizes she has much bigger problems than her damaged car. Soon, he is willing to move mountains to love—and protect—her, but will she let him?

Chloe vows never to make the mistake of trusting a man again. Only, with every loving look Chase gives her—and every sinfully sweet caress—as the attraction between them sparks and sizzles, she can’t help but wonder if she’s met the only exception. And although Chase didn’t realize his life was going to change forever in an instant, amazingly, he isn’t the least bit interested in fighting that change. Instead, he’s gearing up for a different fight altogether…for Chloe’s heart.

My Thoughts:

Let's get the fun stuff out of the way. Or perhaps better described, the sexy times. YOWZA!  First of all, I loved the characters and the heat between Chloe and Chase was off the charts. And then, to top that, the author throws in that scene in the beginning when she is in the tub? I was like, oh no she didn't! But she did. She seriously did! And then I was all fanning myself because that even made me blush a little bit and that is saying something. (Not to mention when the two re-create the scene later. Ohmigod!)

I know some may grumble about what they call "insta-lust" or "insta-love". I can see how a reader could be frustrated by this. But as a writer, I understand that it's near impossible to write a story where things happen as slowly as they do in the real world. Not to mention that, when I read fiction, I can suspend my beliefs in this regard. I want to see that instant connection, that spark between the two. If I didn't want that, I wouldn't like this genre. But I do, so I don't complain about that. Or I try not to. As long as I can feel the connection, it usually isn't an issue. And I definitely felt a connection in this book.

The writing was tight as was the plot. I didn't run into any glaring editing errors that took me out of the story. But what I really loved about this story was the pace. It was like drinking a glass of wine. You don't chug it back like a shot of my favorite vodka. You sip it. You relish in the words and the images the writer is creating. I know that this might sound odd, especially considering many of my book reviews revolve around the steam factor (ahem, see above). But what can I say? It's the truth about the way this book spoke to me. So yeah, it was hot, steamy and I loved the tension, and the release of that tension, between Chloe and Chase. But it was also more than that. To me, this was what a romance level should be: a great story and character combined with the steam and love we have all come to expect. And if the rest of the series is like this first one, I seriously cannot wait to read about the rest of the Sullivan siblings.

I haven't mainlined this series because when I do that I tend to get burned out really fast on the author. Before I started doing a lot of book reviews, I would often read the first in a series and then plow through the rest until I was done. I did this sort of thing and totally binged on Kristen Ashley's books. I found that eventually the books run out and I am left with a serious craving for more. So, unlike the old me, I will take a break before I start the second book. I'm in no rush after all and I can already tell that this is a series I want to savor.

You can find The Look of Love at Amazon and Barnes and Noble, and likely other fine retailers out there. If you pick it up, I hope you enjoy it as much as I did, and if you've read, let me know what you think!

*This book was a self-purchase and I was not in any way compensated for, or even asked, to review this book. All opinions are my own*