ARC REVIEW: Tell Me You Need Me (Search and Seduce #1) by Joya Ryan

Title: Tell Me You Need Me
Series: Search and Seduce #1
Author: Joya Ryan
Publisher: Entangled Brazen
Published: November 16th 2015
Format: eARC | Pages: 132
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance, Erotica
Source: Publisher
★★★✩ (3.5/5) Stars

Joya Ryan | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

A sexy category romance from Entangled's Brazen imprint...

Playing dirty can be the best kind of fun…

Chloe Franklin wouldn't call herself a commitment-phobe, so much as she's allergic to anything long term. She loves the sexy, sweaty and intensely hot hours of the night that come before the sun rises, though. Especially when those nights are spent with Search-and-Rescuer Gage McGraw...

Gage loves his job, but there is one thing he's starting to like more than the rush of a mission--a stacked blonde with a mouth that haunts his dreams. Every time he steps foot in the sleepy town of Beaufort, he hooks up with Chloe. But he's tired of hooks-ups. He wants more.

Just the sight of Gage gets Chloe's blood going. Hot, bothered, and finally naked, she's ready for their night to start. But before he takes her, he whispers what his intentions really are…and then the games really begin.

I received a copy of this book, from the publisher, in exchange for an honest review. In no way did this sway either my review or my rating.

This is so hard, because normally I'd be shouting from the rooftops right about now on a major book high from finishing a Joya Ryan book. Unfortunately I'm not doing that with this one. Don't get me wrong I really liked it. I just didn't fall in love with it like I did with all of the previous books of hers I've read. Part of it is me I will admit. I'm having the worst time getting into books period right now. I can't find anything that sinks it's claws in and doesn't let go. So that's on me. But then again, this book was also very contradictory with both Chloe and Gage, in a very frustrating way.

Let me see if I can explain.

I just didn't get their feelings. But not attraction or romance wise, their chemistry and the heat between them was very real and I could see how they cared. First let me make it clear by saying Gage and Chloe have had a mutually appreciated no strings, only when he's in town, strictly sexual relationship. It's been working for years. This time around though Gage starts pushing Chloe for more. For a relationship. But...only when he comes to town in between rescue jobs. It's practically identical to what they have now...just some actual talking in between rolls in the hay.

Now, where this all starts to really irk me, is the fact that he is seriously pushing and almost, in a way, blackmailing her into giving him a chance and opening herself up. She's got her reasons for avoiding that kind of intimacy from watching her parents implode, so she's all messed up in a weird sort of way. So all they do for huge chunks of the book is try to push the other one into getting exactly what they want with their bodies and sexually frustrating the other one. Him wanting more, her wanting just for him to do her.

I mean, there is no denying that these two have combustible levels of heat. And I completely shipped them without a doubt. I just did not get this wall between them. It didn't make complete sense to me or even feel right. Especially how he expected her to bend at everything and yet he wouldn't even consider doing the same to make it happen throughout most of the book.

The other thing that really got to me about their whole situation was this point in the book when Chloe is frustrated with a situation at her restaurant and, after all of the pushing and well meaning manipulation (I'm not saying he's a jerk or anything I actually like the guy) Gage's advice to Chloe is that "you can't force a situation. You just need to relax and let it happen." Um. Hello? Part of me wanted to yell at him to take his own advice. Yet the other half knew if he did that they'd never get anywhere. It just made it hard to get through with both of their nonsensical romance antics.

Chloe wasn't any better. She'd push him away or seduce him into giving in sexually to her "needs'. She'd tell him she needed space. He'd give it and she'd be all internally whiny and pouty about it and then freak out about what she was feeling.

Sigh.

I absolutely wanted to love this one so very much. Most especially because I freaking adore Joya Ryan. Sadly Chloe and Gage left me more frustrated than swooning. I know it sounds like I had a horrible time reading this but I truly didn't. It had it's funny moments and it kept me interested to the end. It was good, I just never completely clicked and fell head over heels in love with it. I will say that I am so, so excited to read East's story though when it comes out. The sparks I saw forming and who I saw them forming with...*whistles* I think they would make for one highly entertaining book!

Thanks to Entangled Publishing for the opportunity to read and review this book!

ARC REVIEW: Sweet Ride (Playing for Keeps #3) by Cathryn Fox

Title: Sweet Ride
Series: Playing for Keeps #3
Author: Cathryn Fox
Publisher: Entangled Brazen
Published: November 16th 2015
Format: eARC | Pages: 75
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Source: Publisher
★★✩ (2.5/5) Stars

Cathryn Fox | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

A sexy category romance novella from Entangled's Brazen imprint...

He'll unlock her wildest fantasies...

Private investigator Curtis Jagger has always had a thing for Alix Harris. She was the darling of their high school--gorgeous, popular, class president...and, he suspects, just as naughty as she is nice. Now Jag has the opportunity to show her what she's missing. To show her that sometimes being bad can be sexy as hell...

Alix has always done what she's supposed to, and it's gotten her exactly nowhere. Determined to please herself--

I received a copy of this book, from the publisher, in exchange for an honest review. In no way did this sway either my review or my rating.

I'm having a hard time trying to figure out how to express my feelings for this book and this series. On the one hand I loved it and couldn't wait to find out what happened to each couple, but on the other the books are each so dang short, novella length, that everything happens at warp speed and there's really not enough time for these stories to evolve and give you that wow factor we're all looking for. Sure they kept my attention enough for me to still be here for number three. But if I'm being honest...I should've called it good at the end of the first one. Oh my stupid-must-know-how-everything-ends brain.

Sadly, Sweet Ride is actually my least favorite book in the series. Because while I said all the books happen at warp speed, this one does so in triple time. Alix goes through this crappy situation and instead of digesting it all she hops on a plane via a mystery person, plays hard to get with Jag for about five minutes, then blinks and puts her good girl aside for some wild sex with a guy she barely knew in high school. Oh and they fall madly in love in about a week.

Sigh.

Look. It takes a damn good story to get me to overlook insta-love. And even then, 9.5 times out of 10, I'm still kind of irritated with the situation. Had this book been longer I probably could have come close to forgiveness, but still I don't feel like it would've been solid enough for it, in my opinion.

I'm not saying they're completely terrible. I mean, Alix and Jag had some really amazing chemistry. I just wish there had been more substance to their relationship besides just incredibly hot sex. Something to make me sit here and say "yes. I believe in the two of you!" That doesn't happen though.

I'm really not sure if there's anything more positive to say from my reading experience. Alix was an okay character, but probably my series least favorite. While on the opposite side of the fence, I thought Jag was wonderful and would definitely be my favorite. So you can see I was pretty conflicted. 

I guess if you're looking for a really quick filler book in between something bigger and you don't mind people diving head first into love faster than you can say yeehaw, you'll probably have fun reading these books. I'm, unfortunately, all insta-loved out for the year.

Thanks to Entangled Publishing for the opportunity to read and review this book.

ARC REVIEW: Compromising Her Position (Compromise Me #1) by Samanthe Beck

Title: Compromising Her Position
Series: Compromise Me #1
Author: Samanthe Beck
Publisher: Entangled Brazen
Published: November 16th 2015
Format: eARC | Pages: 197
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance, Erotica
Source: Publisher
★★★★✩ (4.5/5) Stars!

Samanthe Beck | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

A sexy category romance from Entangled's Brazen imprint...

He's not who she expected, but he's exactly the man she needs…

When Chelsea Wayne drags Santa into a supply closet for a little office party nookie, she assumes the man in the suit is her on-again/off-again coworker boyfriend. Instead, it's Rafe St. Sebastian, a man known for his hard-driving ways in business as well as the bedroom--and, kill her now, the brand spanking new owner of Las Ventanas--who grants her naughtiest Christmas wishes.

So much for her reputation, not to mention her career.

Rafe needs to close three acquisitions to prove to his father he's ready to take the helm of St. Sebastian Enterprises. A hot interlude in a supply closet after deal number two seems like the perfect illicit Christmas bonus. Unfortunately, when that "bonus" becomes the key to the final deal, he finds himself back in bed--so to speak--with Chelsea, and after their steamy tryst, he's not interested in keeping things professional…

I received a copy of this book, from the publisher, in exchange for an honest review. In no way did this sway either my review or my rating!

Oh. My. Hotness. Batman. Wow! I know this is only the second book by Samanthe Beck that I have read, but really that's all it takes to realize that when it comes to her writing you can expect lots of fun, a sweet and steamy romance, laugh out loud humor and lots and lots of heat. I absolutely loved Compromising Her Position. If you're a big Entangled Brazen fan, like I am, this one is absolutely a must read. Definitely top tier of the Brazen line.

The characters in this book are so great. Chelsea is the people pleaser type. She puts everyone else before herself and will bend over backwards to make sure people are happy. But instead of this coming off as her being this weak, annoying pushover, Chelsea is actually extremely endearing. I absolutely adored her to pieces. Especially when she would let loose and shed some of that nice girl that she is to her core and flip Rafe's world upside down.

Rafe is every bit as sexy as his name suggests he would be. I mean, Rafe St. Sebastian. Come on! Too much sexy. I loved his confidence and the fact that, sure, he has a tiny bit of an ego. But it manifests itself in this sexy, self-confident way. Wow, could I try to fit the word sexy one more time into describing this guy? Sheesh! I just mean that instead of him sitting there with a cocky grin saying things like "all the babes love me" it's more of the confident way he'll whisper the most naughty things to Chelsea about what he knows she wants him to do to her all while she's trying, trying being the key word, to deny it's true. Basically he's so much fun and extremely swoon worthy. Oh and did I mention sexy? *Grins*

The story itself was a whole lot of fun as well. I laughed out loud on more than one occasion and had a smile on my face from start to finish. So it, in my opinion, is borderline insta-love. Because while they did spend lots of time together, I'd say it was 60% heat, 25% business related and maybe 15% of the getting to know you on a deeper level. But the ridiculous amounts of chemistry between Chelsea and Rafe along with the fact that they were so freaking sweet and playful when they were together just kind of made me feel like who cares if they didn't know each other very deeply before they fell into forever. I just want more freaking Chelsea and Rafe please!

Like I said in the opening this is an absolute must read for Brazen lovers. And if you've never picked one up before but curiosity is nibbling at your heels I would have to say that this book would be a good starting off point. But be warned, they're a little bit like book crack, especially when they're so well written and have truly lovable characters like Samanthe Beck's do! Beginning to end this book was engaging and full of heart. Simply put...I freaking adored it!

Huge thanks to Entangled Publishing for the opportunity to read and review this book!

ARC REVIEW: Mine (Club Sin #7) by Stacey Kennedy

Title: Mine
Series: Club Sin #7
Author: Stacey Kennedy
Publisher: Loveswept
Published: October 27th 2015
Format: eARC | Pages: 170
Genres: Adult, Erotica, BDSM, Romance
Source: Publisher via NetGalley
★★★ (3/5) Stars

Stacey Kennedy | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

Dmitri and Presley—the scorching-hot couple who started it all in the USA Today bestseller Claimed—return to save Club Sin in the exhilarating new short novel from Stacey Kennedy. 

Dmitri Pratt is living out his dream. Not only does he own the ultimate playground for the BDSM lifestyle, he’s found a special connection with his deliciously sexy sub, Presley Flynn, the woman who complements him in ways that go far beyond the bedroom. But when an anonymous blackmailer threatens to expose the elite, high-profile members of Club Sin in a notorious tabloid, Dmitri’s perfect world spirals out of control.

Before she met Dmitri, Presley never imagined she would find a Master who could deliver on all her hottest fantasies. Dmitri’s love and his sensual artistry surprise her every day, until he suddenly turns distant and cold. For the first time, Presley wonders where Dmitri’s heart truly lies: with her, or with Club Sin. As the life they’ve built together begins to crumble, Presley can only trust that Dmitri has what it takes—to defend what’s his, and win back the woman he cannot live without.

Mine is intended for mature audiences.

I received a copy of this book, from the publisher, in exchange for an honest review. In no way did this sway either my review or my rating!

Boy is this a tough one. I have been in love with this series ever since I read Claimed back in 2013. I've fallen in love with all of the Club Sin Masters and their subs, their stories, their struggles, just everything. They've not all been top of the list favorites for me, but I've had a love for each one all the same. So it's hard to come back to the beginning, back to Dmitri and Presley and not feel those same emotions one last time. In the end I basically got through the end of this one for one to see how things would end up for Club Sin itself and two because I was interested in meeting Micah who starts off a sort of spin-off type of series. So in those two instances I was satisfied.

Now in book one I absolutely adored Presley. She was just so cute and adorable and I wanted to put her in my pocket and take her everywhere with me. However we fast forward to Mine and oh my word I could not stand her! I'm sure there will be some that disagree with me but all throughout this book all I got from her was how selfish and whiny and ridiculous she was. I mean you see what it says in the first paragraph of that blurb right? Dmitri had all of that crap on his plate, all those club member's privacy and personal/public lives basically hanging over his head about to be exposed and all Presley could think is "Why isn't he here comforting me and talking it through with me?" "And wait! Also why hasn't he asked me to marry him yet? I mean we've never talked about marriage but he should just know!" Blah. Blah. Blah. Like I wanted to bang my head against a wall she was so annoying.

That's not to say Dmitri was Mr. Perfect. Even though up to a point I was mostly on his side, I did think that him shutting her out wasn't fair. I could see what he was trying to do and how he was trying to protect her, but he went about it wrong. But there was an incident at a certain point when he goes out of control that I lost all respect for him. I understand that what he did to Presley was supposed to represent his loss of control and all that jazz but I really felt that as far as it went was way out of character for him.

I truly felt like I was reading about two totally different characters and so it was really hard to want to keep going. I feel like just forgetting most of the Dmitri/Presley stuff and focus on seeing all my other favorite characters and enjoying how the club issue was resolved and that sweet, romantic, wonderful bit at the end between two characters I was so angry at through most of the book! Sigh. It really was a super sweet ending. Which is the only reason why I didn't do what I was tempted to do and go lower with my rating.

This book aside, I truly am going to miss the Club Sin gang, thankfully though I can just open my Kindle any time I want to revisit them. This has been a truly great series. It was my first dip into the world of BDSM and it really opened up my comfort zone reading wise. I can't wait for Micah to be released and see what these new Doms are all about. From what I hear things are going to be even more heated with these guys! Yikes!!

Thanks to Loveswept for the opportunity to read and review this book!

ARC REVIEW: Seven Sins [Anthology]

Title: Seven Sins (Anthology)
Author(s): Natalie Anderson, Amy Andrews, Michele de Winton, Robin Covington, Avery Flynn, Carmen Falcone & Talia Hunter
Published: October 19th 2015
Format: eARC | Pages: 423
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance, Erotica
Source: Author (Talia Hunter)
★★★  (3/5) Stars!

Seven Sins: Seven Sizzling Stories! Bikers, Stepbrothers, Bosses, Baseball, BDSM and more!

Can't get enough of hot contemporary romance? For a LIMITED time buy this sexy, EXCLUSIVE anthology with seven ALL NEW stories from top authors, including USA Today Bestsellers, and discover your favorite sin today!

I received a copy of this book, from one of the authors, in exchange for an honest review. In no way did this sway either my review or my rating!

Big thanks to Talia Hunter first of all for the opportunity to read and review this book. As an all around average for the entire book I'd give it a 3 star rating. However each individual story inside I had very different feelings for. So for the rest of this review I'll give as brief of a summary of my feelings for each one and what I would have rated it if it were an individual novella!

Envy

Blaze for Me by Natalie Anderson

★★★ 3 Stars!
When Austin Tate busts Nicoletta Valeri in a blistering moment of voyeuristic orgasm-envy, it’s the perfect chance for some payback, but instead she’s lit a fire than can be extinguished by only one thing…

So this opening story definitely gave me a crash course for what to expect within this book. The opening scene was this incredibly hot voyeuristic scene that kind of shocked me at first. There was no slowly breaking into it, it just happened on page one. It was fun in a naughty sort of way though.. As for the rest of the story, well, I liked it and enjoyed it but the dialogue very nearly ruined it for me. That and the couple was very immature at times. I probably would have enjoyed it a whole lot more if that dialogue had backed up the fun and steamy storyline.

Gluttony

Glutton for Punishment by Amy Andrews

★★★★ 4 Stars!
With a sudden hankering to be spanked, Darcy Henderson figures Mitch Callaghan is the man for the job. But is she woman enough to take it?

This story was everything I've grown to love and expect from Amy Andrews. Lots of steamy, characters you can instantly love and plenty of humorous funny moments. I think my favorite part of the whole thing was Darcy's grandmother and her friends from the retirement community. They had err...some very surprising sides...to not give anything away. They were so dang funny! I think my biggest complaint about this one would be that it was a shame it was a short story because I would have loved to spend more time with Darcy and Mitch!! Over way too soon!

Lust

Burned by Lust by Michele de Winton

★ 1 Star (DNF)
Biker, Hade Corban is set to take over the Raising Hellfire Gang and love isn’t on his agenda, but lusty goodtime girl Lee Delevinge is hell bent on burning up his heart.

To be perfectly honest...I only read about 5 pages of this one tops before I had to DNF it. You either know or you don't if you're going to like something. And it wasn't because this was about an MC because I've been reading one that I love. I guess what happened was, at least from what I could tell, one of the new guys in the gang had taken a couple of girls upstairs to try and "prove something" to the rest of the guys but was so wasted he passed out so when Hade goes upstairs because of all the banging going on up there one of the naked "ladies" on the bed catches his eye. I lost interest before they said a word to each other. No thanks. Done.

Wrath

Sleeping with the Enemy by Robin Covington

★★★ 3 Stars!
All’s fair in love and baseball…but when Kat Carter, the newly-minted GM for the Virginia Venom, is determined to recruit rival superstar shortstop (and former lover) Derek Foxx the last thing she expects is a sexy ultimatum… Best-selling author Robin Covington proves that rivalry outside the bedroom leads to sparks between the sheets.

This one was really cute and fun and even made me tear up a bit. I really loved getting to know Kat and Derek especially since I'm such a sucker for a really good second chance at love story. And this was one of them, even as short as it was. I feel like the reason my rating for this one was on the lower side was because of the abundance of the word "tits" used even by Kat at times. I have no idea why this word always bugs me so much but it there were points where it made me want to cringe. Still though I pretty much adored this one and it was probably one of my favorite of the seven.

Sloth

Princess Sin by Avery Flynn

★★✩ 2.5 Stars
There’s trouble on the horizon when Cynthia Aston, who the tabloids have nicknamed Princess Cyn for her slacker party girl ways, stows away on a yacht that belongs to workaholic billionaire Hunter McKenney, her older brother’s sexy best friend.

Not counting the story I didn't even make it through, I'd have to say this one was my least favorite. I feel like any one of the seven sins, most especially sloth, would be very easy to convey eitehr through characters or storyline without having to spell it out. However, more times than I cared to count the word sloth or slothful was thrown around to describe Cyn. It really bothered me. To me it just felt like a lack of creativity if you have to use the word sloth repeatedly to try to prove to me that this is what your story was about. But not only that the dialogue was lackluster as well. I mean there was other stuff that put me off about it too but just so I'm not completely Negative Nancy about this story I will say that there was one shining, bright moment in the book. At the end Hunter gives the perfect best man speech/grand gesture that would have had me swooning and tears if it were me. I wish the rest of the book could've been like that speech!

Pride

Accidentally Sinful  by Carmen Falcone

★★★✩ 3.5 Stars!
Stranded due to a snowstorm, Santiago Cruz must let go of his pride and acknowledge forbidden feelings for the woman he loves but can’t forgive—his stepsister.

What is it about these stepbrother stories that always makes me want to love them? The very beginning of this one was actually hard to follow and understand what was going on. But once things became more clear, the reasons for the rift between them and so on, I actually kinda liked this story. It wasn't perfect I mean it resolved way, way too quickly, almost got whiplash it snapped into place so fast, but nonetheless very enjoyable. Plus Santiago was pretty yummy!

Greed

How to Seduce a CEO by Talia Hunter

★★★ 3 Stars!

Hot shot CEO Marcus Bolton’s decided who to hire for the top job, and it’s not Angel Moore, no matter how temping she might be. But Angel will do whatever it takes to land the job of her dreams—even seduce the boss.

So I'm guessing that this was probably a novella in Talia's series The Rich List, which I read the first book in and loved. Angel isn't normally the type of female character I'm drawn to. She's almost overly driven and will do basically anything to get what she's after career wise. I didn't like a lot of the choices she made nor the fact that it really felt as if she was using her sexuality and her budding relationship with Marcus to get him on her side and to get him to fight for her for a huge promotion. But it really was hard to not like her or respect drive and ambition in a very male driven job and environment that she was in. And to feel bad for her for being so much better at what she does than most of the guys combined at her company but because it was so much a good ol' boys club she was overlooked. A lot. I probably would've gone 4 stars on this one but towards the end I lost quite a bit of respect for Angel and how she treated Marcus when things weren't going her way. Overall I liked it but I wavered for a second at the end there.

***

Sorry this was so long but I felt like trying to convey all my thoughts on the book as a whole would have been too hard since my feelings were really all over the place for each story. I had more fun than not reading this book and I feel like the majority of the novellas really made reading this book worth it and are worth getting it for. Lots of steamy, naughty and super fun times to be had!

ARC REVIEW: Slow Ride (Playing for Keeps #1) by Cathryn Fox

Title: Slow Ride
Series: Playing for Keeps #1
Author: Cathryn Fox
Publisher: Entangled Brazen
Published: September 28th 2015
Format: eARC | Pages: 87
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance, Erotica
Source: Publisher
★★★★ (4/5) Stars!

Cathryn Fox | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

A sexy category romance novella from Entangled's Brazen imprint...

He's looking for love. She's looking for trouble...

As a successful doctor and weekend cowboy, Chase Cooper enjoys a full life with plenty of female company. But lately, something hasn't felt right. He's been distracted. Antsy. Damn it, he's been lonely. With an eye on settling down with a nice girl, Coop invites his high school best friend down to his ranch to see if maybe she's the one for him...

Instead, her twin sister shows up. The one who loathes him.

Julia Blair is already halfway to Coop's ranch when she learns the invitation wasn't for her, but her vivacious twin sister. She has two choices: slink back home, or see just how far this farce will go. One glance at hotter-than-sin Coop, and she knows she's playing a dangerously hot game. Because what this cowboy wants, this cowboy gets...

Previously released on Entangled's Flaunt imprint as Cowboy's Way - November 2013 and has been enhanced with new material.

I received a copy of this book, from the publisher, in exchange for an honest review. In no way did this sway either my review or my rating.

For only 87 pages this sure packs the punch of a full length novel. It was incredibly hot and intense yet at the same time achingly sweet. The perfect Brazen to pick up when you want to get through something very quick yet still leave you feeling the satisfaction of reading a full sized book.

The blurb is a bit misleading, but I'm actually happy with that. What I read was so much better than what I was expecting. I was expecting Julia was going to try to trick him into thinking she was her sister or something but thankfully that wasn't the case. I mean it would've been cute still I'm sure but I absolutely loved what I read instead.

I feel like this, in a way, is pretty much a second chance romance. Coop was completely hung up on Julia in high school but since her twin was his best friend he put her in the off limits zone. You don't date your best friend's sister. On the other hand Julia always had a thing for Coop as well, but she, like everyone else in their lives, assumed there was more to his relationship with her sister so she buried her feelings for him as well. I loved it! It was such a perfect premise filled with the promise of feels.

Coop and Julia were great characters. I loved how open Coop was and how he wore his emotions and didn't really hide anything. How he wasn't actually afraid to feel and actually wanted someone to share his life with. It's always a breath of fresh air compared to the fear of commitment characters we're normally bombarded with. Julia was so sweet and adorable. I loved how even though she was an identical twin and in a lot of ways felt 2nd best compared to her twin, she was still so positive and selfless and giving. She was just a really good person.

It didn't take long for things to heat up between these two and when they did? Explosive! Those were some pretty freaking hot and intense scenes.

I adored everything about this book. From the characters, to the storyline and the setting of the ranch. It was over way too quickly and I really wanted more of Coop and Julia. But I'll have to satisfy myself with two of Coop's best friends and their "ones that got away" that release in the next two months. I'm really looking forward to Mac and Jag's books!!

Thanks to Entangled Publishing for the opportunity to read and review this book!

ARC REVIEW: Chasing Mr. Wrong (Chasing Love #4) by Joya Ryan

Title: Chasing Mr. Wrong
Series: Chasing Love #4
Author: Joya Ryan
Publisher: Entangled Brazen
Published: September 7th 2015
Format: eARC | Pages: 152
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance, Erotica
Source: Publisher
★★★★ (4/5) Stars!

Joya Ryan | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

A sexy category romance from Entangled's Brazen imprint...

Who needs Mr. Right when you can have the perfect Mr. Wrong?

Ryder Diamond-the town's golden boy-doesn't have time for taking chances, let alone love. Against his better judgment, he lets his buddies set him up on a blind date with a girl who's only passing through town. But temporary or not, Whitney James sets fire to desires he can't control.

Before they know it, Ryder and Whitney are in a supply closet, drowning in lust. She's only in town for the summer-what better way to spend it than in the arms of Mr. Perfect? Except, she's wild and free, and he's Mr. Stability. Which means he may as well be Mr. Wrong.

And her new job? It's with Ryder's sister.

Sex and the inability to keep their hands off each other are the only things they have in common. But this little hook-up has "disaster" written all over it...and the only way Ryder can save his reputation is by avoiding the sweet little firecracker who could ruin it all.

I received a copy of this book, from the publisher, in exchange for an honest review. In no way did this sway either my review or my rating!

I want to live inside Joya Ryan's imagination. Oh, but I am so not joking! The characters she creates, the bonds they form, the settings, the stories. I fall into them and lose myself and I absolutely hate coming back to reality once I've finished. And I always seem to finish all too soon... I loved this latest installment of the Chasing Love series. I was so excited to visit Diamond once again and get back into this wonderful group of friends and it was so much more than I was hoping it would be. It is hands down my favorite from the series.

Joya Ryan is the master of creating some of the most delicious fictitious men and the one guy that I've been looking the most forward to since I picked up my first book written by her, was Ryder Diamond. There's always been something I couldn't quite put my finger on that has drawn me to him the most and had me desperately wanting to know more about him. Ryder's family is one of the two founding families of their quaint little town of Diamond. And by little I do mean everyone knows everyone else and their business. So small that if you were to go wandering in to the local BBQ you'd get a smile and a, "new in town?" I love these types of settings.

In Ryder's case however, it puts a whole lot of pressure on him and his image. He's very controlled and doesn't cut loose. He's constantly polite even when people are at their worst. He never rocks the boat afraid of how it would reflect on him, his family and his business. I mean none of that is necessarily bad but he's always holding back and keeping himself in check. He never lets anybody see the entire Ryder Diamond. Not even his friends or family. I fell hard for him even before he lets pieces of the real him through. There's something so incredibly sexy about a man with that much drive and determination and acceptance of responsibility. Plus his heart shines through in the care he shows for his people and his town. But, the moment wild Ryder came out to play...holy hotness Batman. The sexiness couldn't be measured. All it took was a special girl to crack through that mask.

Whitney was brand new to the series. Just kind of breezing through town, a bit of a nomad really. Yet the moment we get to meet her I instantly loved her. I mean, to the point where I was ready to have her back over Ryder's, She's so spunky and bold, and I loved how playful and funny she could be as well. She hides a lot of pain and loss by constantly moving around and never setting down roots or forging friendships. So I loved how it wasn't just Ryder that started to get under her skin, it was the entire town. She just fit so perfectly into the group of characters in this series.

Whitney and Ryder were sizzling, explosive, incredibly hot. It was so much fun to watch Ryder "attempt" to keep himself under control around her...and lose every time. And to see him so distracted by her even when she wasn't around. Ryder really needed someone to come along and flip his world upside down.

One of these days, I still need to go back and read the first book in this series, but it was so, so much fun to see some of the characters from books two and three again and see what's going on in their lives. Penny, Bass, Auto, Huck. I missed them all so much! And I can't wait to see what this series has in store for the future. As far as I can remember there's at least one more person in their little group, Lily, who is still unattached and I'd love to read a book for her. Let's face it, I'm just not ready for this series to end period. I want more!

Thanks goes to Entangled Publishing for the opportunity to read and review this book!

ARC REVIEW: Melting Point (Hot in Chicago #1.5) by Kate Meader

Title: Melting Point
Series: Hot in Chicago #1.5
Author: Kate Meader
Publisher: Pocket Star
Published: August 31st 2015
Format: ARC | Pages: 131
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance, M/M
Source: Publisher
★★★★★ (5/5) Stars!!!!

Kate Meader | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

Things are heating up at Engine Co. 6 in this original e-novella from Kate Meader’s sizzling Hot in Chicago series! Super hot playboy firefighter Gage Simpson has one particular man on his mind: Brady Smith, a recalcitrant, moody chef who makes Gage melt from the inside out. Features a sexy sneak preview of Playing with Fire!

Firefighter Gage Simpson has it all: the job of his dreams, the family of his heart, and no shortage of hot guys lining up to share his bed. “Fun and easy” is his motto—and it’s kept him sunny through a painful upbringing and steered him away from trouble. But when trouble comes knocking in the form of a sexy, scarred, tattooed chef with a harrowing past and zero communication skills, Gage can’t help but be drawn to the flame.

Brady Smith isn’t fun. And easy isn’t in his vocabulary. When cocky Gage swaggers into his restaurant kitchen, the former Marine-turned-five-star-chef is blindsided by the firefighter’s beauty. Then confused that this golden guy with the sparkling blue eyes and the body of a god might be interested in him. As desire flares and temperatures rise, Gage and Brady will have to figure out if the heat between them is just a temporary flash—or the beginning of something real.

I received a copy of this book, from the publisher, in exchange for an honest review. In no way did this sway either my review or my rating!

All I can think of right now is thank goodness for all the people, like myself, who saw enough in Gage and Brady for there to be a demand of them having their own novella. Not to take anything away from Kinsey and Luke, who were pretty freaking hot and wonderful themselves, but the bits and pieces on the side throughout book one, Flirting with Fire, that were happening between Gage and Brady really stole the spotlight for me. I was turning the pages faster to get to more of their story at times more so than the couple the book was about. Needless to say my copy of Melting Point has been sitting on my desk quite literally taunting me for weeks now until I was finally able to read it and there are no words for how worth the wait this book was.

Like everyone else who meets him, I was fascinated and enamored of Gage Simpson since his first appearance in Rekindle the Flame, a prequel type of novella. You can't help but love this guy. He's cocky in the most adorable way, perpetual grin and one of the most playful and flirtatious guys you'll ever meet. And he's an equal opportunity flirt at that. Male or female he'll turn on the charm and have you melting at his feet. I desperately needed him to have his own book! It was nice, if not bittersweet to see this other side of Gage. The one that's not always happy-go-lucky. The one who lets a bit of the pain from his past break past his otherwise unflappable exterior. As if it were possible to love this guy even more.

Brady was a mystery I was desperate to crack. Delicious muscles and tattoos with zero communication skills, scars inside and out and an aversion to human contact. This quiet and broody chef had me completely fascinated with the need to know his story. I loved watching Gage slowly, and I do mean slowly, break down his defenses and seeing the Brady that he probably was before he joined the marines. One who wasn't afraid to smile or laugh or let someone touch them. I loved everything about his character.

It's funny, when I mentioned to Kate Meader that I was going to be starting Melting Point in a few days the last thing she said to me about it was "Also hottest sex scenes I've ever written. Just sayin'"  Now that I've finished the book, I'm going to have to heartily agree! Hot. Scorching. Cold shower inducing scenes. The chemistry that Gage and Brady have is mind blowing. I mean it was evident in the teasers of will they/won't they that were in book one but holy hotness Batman! These two guys finally coming together, no pun intended...kinda, was worth every bit of dancing around their feelings, well more so Brady around his, that lead up to this point.

I could probably sit here for hours and gush about this book and these two characters that I'm deeply in love with but I'll stop here. I'm such a big fan of Kate Meader's writing and the characters she creates. If you've never read anything by her before all I can say is what are you waiting for? I can't wait for the next book in the series to come out next month, Playing with Fire. I love this wonderful dynamic between this group of firefighting foster siblings and I need more! The end of September can't get here soon enough!

Huge, huge thanks goes to Pocket Star (Simon & Schuster) for the opportunity to read and review this book!!

ARC REVIEW: Recipe for Temptation (Madewood Brothers #4) by Gina Gordon

Title: Recipe for Temptation
Series: Madewood Brothers #4
Author: Gina Gordon
Publisher: Entangled Brazen
Published: August 11th 2015
Format: eARC | Pages: 189
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Erotica, Romance
Source: Publisher
★★★★ (4/5) Stars!

Gina Gordon | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

A sexy category romance from Entangled's Brazen imprint...

She's the woman he loves to hate.

Penn Foster wants a lot of things. She wants a spot on the board of a charitable foundation. She wants to win the stupid, plastic family trophy. And more than anything, she wants her tall, hot, and brooding boss naked in her bed. Now, on a Hawaiian vacation with her family, she's desperately trying not to think about how he'd sound whispering dirty things in her ear.

He's the man she can't have...or can she?

Cole Murphy keeps himself locked down, away from the press and out of the spotlight. Still haunted by a traumatic childhood, his ability to trust has been decimated. Penn, with her sexy body and confidence, is the only person able to drag him out of his shell. Which is why he crashes her vacation and accepts her proposition for no-strings sex. But is the inescapable heat building between them a delicious temptation, or will it end in total disaster?

I received a copy of this book, from the publisher, in exchange for an honest review. In no way did this sway either my review or my rating.

This is going to be one of those tricky books to review. Tricky in the fact that I need to figure out what to say without "Sigh. I am so smitten with Cole Murphy" just being repeated over and over. Because it was more than just that. It was funny and sweet and frustrating and even a bit heartbreaking at times. Recipe for Temptation was packed full of emotion and all I could think about once I finished was, "I really need to get the other 3 Madewood Brothers in my life. Now!"

I feel like maybe I've missed something by starting this series off with book four, the final book. I got the very distinct feeling that maybe in at least one, if not all, of the other books leading up to this one that there was a bit of a build up of the sexual tension between Penn and Cole. I can't remember specifics off the top of my head but there were times that their past was hinted at. Regardless, I was still able to feel enough of that in starting with Recipe for Temptation that when things did finally heat up between these two, it was still a sort of "Finally!" type of feeling.

Cole was a very troubled character. He instantly had my heart and as I slowly got to know more of him and his past it would just wrap him tighter and tighter around it. I loved his dark broodiness mixed with his incredibly huge heart. I had this instant protective feeling towards him and I desperately hoped that nothing would hurt him. He was larger than life in a lot of ways and really stands out but in other ways I felt like he had threads of fragility within him and I didn't want anything to touch those cracks and break him. Smitten. Smitten I tell you!

Without knowing Penn before this book, I only had to go by what they both felt about her true personality. She's supposed to be this very bold and lively woman who isn't afraid to get up on a table and dance and swear and party and just have fun. But the Penn I get to meet in the very beginning is kind of meek and passive. She hides herself from her family and never let them see the real her. Just the girl she feels like they want her to be. It was pretty sad and I felt sorry for her. The only times I ever got to see some of that bold and passionate girl that they claimed she was, was when she was alone with Cole.

I think that's what truly drove me insane when reading this book. There was at least one moment where a deep down part of me wanted to stop reading and not look back. Penn's family....was horrible. Horrible! They treated her so bad and her "older" brother Dave I wanted to punch in the face. I say "older" because well into his 30's he was still giving Penn noogies and other immature actions. But they were all so competitive and especially one of her sister-in-laws with the glaring and snide comments? I mean I get the whole competitive vibe, it was actually pretty funny a lot of the time, except for moments like that and I had to wonder what kind of brother would allow his wife to treat his only sister the way she did. It was extremely frustrating. However I pushed on and I was extremely happy I did.

Some of my favorite moments where when it was just Penn and Cole. I loved how she brought him out of his shell and helped him to feel more confident and break down the walls of his past. And how he pushed her to let the real Penn come out because anyone who didn't love the real her was an idiot. Plus....holy chemistry Batman! Those two were scorching hot! Maybe it was the whole he's-kind-of-my-boss-so-I-shouldn't thing going on so it was kind of taboo but...wow.

By the end not even those frustrating moments with Penn's family could dampen how I felt about the book as a whole. It was funny, smoking hot and incredibly bittersweet. I loved the playfulness and heartfelt moments between the characters and the really great storyline. As I said in the beginning I need to go back and read about those other three Madewood boys as soon as possible! I am definitely hooked!!

Thanks to Entangled Publishing for the opportunity to read and review this book!!