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: 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: Rules of Seduction (Serve #7) by Joya Ryan

Title: Rules of Seduction
Series: Serve #7
Author: Joya Ryan
Publisher: Entangled Brazen
Published: June 9th 2015
Format: eARC | Pages: 142
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance, Erotica, BDSM
Source: Publisher
★★★★★ (5/5) Stars!!!

Joya Ryan | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

He'll be the dream and the dirty fantasy...

Through with both her controlling ex and relationships, Ava Webber is determined to explore the spicy and sometimes forbidden appetites of the exclusive BDSM nightclub, Serve. Here, she'll get exactly what she needs...as long as it's from a man she doesn't know.

Nolan Hart ensures that Serve's clients get what they want, how they want it. But with one look at the curvy brunette, Nolan knows he's the man to fulfill her desires. As the anonymous lover, he's Ava's dirtiest fantasy. Outside of Serve, he's her charming, smartass friend.

But Nolan wants more. More than Ava is willing to give. And as long as the blindfold stays on, she'll never discover that the two men she's falling for are one and the same... 

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.

Bliss. That is the current state I am in right now. I just knew when I saw Joya Ryan's name on the cover that this book was going to be nothing short of perfection and oh my word...I was right. They could not have found a better person to add to the Serve series.

I have been wanting this book for quite a while now. Sometimes when you have a series like this, where each book focuses on a different couple, and you get little glimpses here and there of characters for future books, there will always be one character that stands out for me. He or she could do something as simple as walk into a room and say hi and that will be all it takes for me to feel this connection to them. It's been that way with Nolan ever since he first appeared. And for those who have read the previous books I have felt this way since before he played that, er, eye opening part in Will's book. There's just something about Nolan that made me feel like he was going to be my guy. I think it's only fitting that one of my absolute favorite authors wrote the story for my favorite guy in the series. I am over the moon right now.

Normally when I start a book with what I know is going to be a favorite character I worry a bit about whether or not I'll end up liking the partner that's been written for them. In this case there was no worry because Joya Ryan has this gift for writing brilliant characters with inferno strength chemistry. I absolutely adored Ava to pieces. I loved that she was the one who was seriously broken and outright frightened of the big C word...commitment. She was like the perfect mixture of fragile and toughness. Structured, serious and pretty closed off in her real life and yet wild, adventurous and more open within the club. But she fought very hard to keep both of those versions of herself totally separate in order to protect herself and her identity of self.

Nolan was everything I knew he was going to end up being. He's sweet and protective and funny and playful. Plus he is the perfect, panty dropping level of yummy male alphaness. By that I mean he's all gruff dominance, but he's not at that overly cocky level where that's all he is. Control and dominance. No, Nolan has the security within himself to be what his woman needs him to be. Whether it's taking over and consuming her or sitting back, in some cases laying back *grins*, and allowing her to take what she needs from him. He's just perfection.

I loved the storyline. The fact that there was no one that Nolan could trust to take care of Ava the way she needed to be taken care of and still give her the fantasy that she desired with the anonymity so he takes it on himself. I just knew that eventually Ava would find out and, already being very mistrustful of guys and connections, lying to her would be a huge betrayal in her eyes. I love feeling that almost utter hopelessness, that how on earth are they going to come back from something like this type of feeling. It makes the end and the happily ever after that much sweeter.

So as I've probably already said a hundred times in this review, I'm so glad that Joya Ryan was brought into this series. I am such a huge fan of her writing and characters, most especially her characters. She writes the type of characters that make you fall in love with them instantly and wish that they were real. They don't just add to the storylines they enhance them. And Rules of Seduction was no different. I highly recommend this one, it's sweet, angsty, funny and holy jeebus is it steamy!

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

BLOG TOUR: Yours Forever (Reign #3) by Joya Ryan [ARC Review + Giveaway]

Title: Yours Forever
Series: Reign #3
Author: Joya Ryan
Publisher: Bear & Gunner Publishing
Published: May 7th 2015
Format: eARC | Pages: 240
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance, Erotica
Source: InkSlinger PR/Blog Tour
★★★★★ (5/5) Stars!!!

For fans of J Lynn, Jodi Ellen Malpas and Sylvia Day comes the final book in the Reign trilogy. This is an all-consuming, raw and powerful love story that seduces, surprises and stays with you.

Playing at forever is a dangerous game…

Torn between two men and surrounded by secrets, Lana is forced to make an agonizing choice. But what – and who – does she really want?

Yours Tonight (Reign #1) | Yours Completely (Reign #2)

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

Oh boy is this review going to be tough to write! It's been almost two weeks since I've finished and I still don't even know what to say. I guess it's time to just sit here and (hopefully) let inspiration flow. This is the final book in the Reign series and oh my word it has been a crazy, crazy ride! It's been intense, heartwarming and unbelievably steamy. I've been through heartache and distress, laughter and tears. I spent most of the entire series with my heart racing. Sometimes in very, very good ways but also through pain and even fear. If there's an emotion out there you can feel...these books took me there.

Not everyone is a fan of the dreaded love triangle. I'm in the group of those who do. If they are done right and not just there for the sake of having something to go through and they serve a real purpose in some way I am all for them. I love them! I love them even more when even I'm confused on where my heart lies. I love the turmoil. I thrive on angst and feels so this series was perfect for me. Joya Ryan has created three very tragic souls. Each one having gone through a great childhood tragedy that has left it's scars on them as adults. All very different, yet no less heartbreaking and sad than the other. While both of the guys have, for the most part anyway, overcome the ghosts of their past, Lana starts the series as a different story.

I've adored Lana from the beginning. She's the type of character that won't let you do anything but. Even though when you first meet her she comes off as a bit weak it's not in that agonizingly annoying type of way. In the beginning she's so sweet and yet very timid and introverted, which when you get hints about her past and puzzle her out it's easy to understand why. Though with Yours Forever you almost don't even recognize that version of Lana anymore. She has grown so much and become such a strong, fiery and passionate woman. It's been so much fun watching her find herself. She owes a lot of that strength, fire and of course passion to two very incredible and very different guys. Each of them draws her out and helps her discover all those things buried deep inside of her.

The first book in the series, Yours Tonight, is all Jack. Jack is all darkness and power, quiet and commanding, thoughtful and controlled, protective and charming, serious and about as alpha as they come. He's suits and ties and elegance. Book two, Yours Completely, is all Callum. Cal is, for the most part, everything Jack isn't. They do share some common attributes but with the big ones they are like night and day. Cal is lightness and gentle, funny and playful, very much the life of the party. Like Jack, he's also protective and charming and very alpha male, but Cal isn't afraid to let Lana hold the reins when she needs it. He's very comfortable letting her take control. He's jeans and a t-shirt and an adrenaline junkie. While both Jack and Callum are equally these really awesome guys in their own ways it's been agonizing trying to choose between them. i mean, I have been leaning towards one of them but he's only pulled ahead by the slimmest of margins. My heart was so torn up at the start of this book.

So am I happy with how it ended? I was very much taken by surprise. I never saw things turning out like they did. I thought I had it all figured out before I started and I couldn't have been more wrong. Obviously I was happy with the outcome, surprised or not, since I gave it five stars. The more I thought about it though the more I realized there really was no other way to end it. I'll just leave it at that so that I don't end up saying too much. I'm sad to see the Reign series come to an end but I'm looking forward to seeing what Joya Ryan brings us next. She's become one of my absolute favorite authors over the past year and I can't wait for more!

Giveaway:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

About the author:

National and international bestselling author Joya Ryan is the author of the Shattered Series (Break Me Slowly, Possess Me Slowly and Capture Me Slowly), the Sweet Torment Series (Breathe You In, Only You), and The Chasing Love Series (Chasing Trouble, Chasing Temptation, Chasing Desire).

Passionate about both cooking and dancing (despite not being too skilled at the latter), she loves spending time at home color coding things. She resides in California with her husband and her two sons. Visit Joya Ryan online

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

RELEASE DAY LAUNCH: Yours Forever (Reign #3) by Joya Ryan [Excerpt + Giveaway]

Yours Forever

(Reign #3) 

by Joya Ryan

Publisher:

Bear & Gunnar Publishing

Genres:

Adult, Contemporary,

Romance, Erotica

Summary:

For fans of J Lynn, Jodi Ellen Malpas and Sylvia Day comes the final book in the Reign trilogy. This is an all-consuming, raw and powerful love story that seduces, surprises and stays with you.

Playing at forever is a dangerous game…

Torn between two men and surrounded by secrets, Lana is forced to make an agonizing choice. But what – and who – does she really want?

Excerpt:

“Now you’re worried about me?” I scoffed.

He hit me with a dark glare and stepped forward. “I've always been worried about you.”

I wanted to yell and scream and tell him he was full of it. Because he’d watched me cry, heard me beg—beg—for him to stay, and still turned away. The memory sickened me but it didn't change the outcome.

I’d begged for him.

Something a weak person would do. I hated being weak. Tried so hard to feel anything but that single emotion. Which was why Jack was the best kind of sinful pleasure. Because in one breath he made me feel strong—and in another he made me beg. Only he could cause a war between two such powerful emotions. But I couldn't give in now. My father was gone, my world wrecking like a slow moving train collision and I was on the brink of snapping under the pressure.

“I’m done with you,” I whispered.

Wild heat flamed like melting obsidian behind those electrifying eyes. He pushed the chair that separated us out of the way, toppling it over onto the soaked grass and the force made mud splattered on my ankle. Jack stepped into the newly open path and didn't stop until the tip of my nose brushed against his wet chest.

He pinched my chin and lifted my face to the rain. I stared up at him, eyes fluttering from the drops of water hitting me. His gaze was ensnaring and his expression burned me up as he looked down at me, haloed by the gray sky and thick blanket of rain.

He was an angel. A stark, beautiful angel of darkness.

“Say what you need to say,” he rasped. “Be done with me if that’s what you want.” His hips shifted, pressing into my body and I bit back a moan. “But I’m nowhere near done with you.”

Giveaway:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

And don't miss the first two books in the series:

Yours Tonight:

and

Yours Completely:

About the author:

National and international bestselling author Joya Ryan is the author of the Shattered Series (Break Me Slowly, Possess Me Slowly and Capture Me Slowly), the Sweet Torment Series (Breathe You In, Only You), and The Chasing Love Series (Chasing Trouble, Chasing Temptation, Chasing Desire).

Passionate about both cooking and dancing (despite not being too skilled at the latter), she loves spending time at home color coding things. She resides in California with her husband and her two sons. Visit Joya Ryan online

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

ARC REVIEW: Yours Completely (Reign #2) by Joya Ryan

Title/Series: Yours Completely | Reign #2
Author: Joya Ryan
Publisher: Bear & Gunner Publishing
Published: April 2nd 2015
Format: eARC | Pages: 191
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Erotica, Romance
Source: Author
★★★★★ (5/5) Stars!!!

Joya Ryan | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

For fans of J Lynn, Jodi Ellen Malpas and Sylvia Day comes Yours Completely, an all-consuming, raw and powerful love story . . .

Lana Case knows what it feels like to be tossed aside - first by her family and then by the man she naively believed was her true love. But when Jack leaves, reconfirming that she isn't worthy of love, her world shatters. The last person Lana thought to find refuge in is an adrenaline-junky firefighter, let alone Jack's best friend. Yet Callum Malone's easy-going, playboy persona is just what she needs. 

When Lana finds herself the target of a stalker who isn't going away, Callum not only welcomes her into his home, but also into his bed. Unable to deny the chemistry between them, Lana gives in and after a night of fiery passion discovers what it finally feels like to not only be cherished - but safe. Lana and Callum are falling fast, knowing they're both far out of their depth. And then Jack returns to claim the woman he left behind . . . 

Addictive and unforgettable, Lana's story will seduce, surprise and stay with you. A brand new romance by the #1 Bestselling author of Break Me Slowly, the Reign series is an emotional roller coaster you'll want to keep riding forever.

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

It really starts to become a challenge to write a review for a book when it falls in the middle or towards the end of a series. Especially a series like this where both my heart and mind are all caught up in them and all I want to do is talk to people about all the things and all the feelings. Feelings for this book are something have an abundance of. Both books in this series really.

After finishing Yours Completely, my heart is very conflicted. I have these three brilliant characters, yes there is a love triangle here, but the thing is I'm attached to all three of them. I've touched on this before in my review of the last book but each one has their own tragic and emotional backstory that have more than once brought me to tears. Lana has grown so much since the fist book. She's gone from this scared, sort of introverted character with zero self esteem and very understandable intimacy issues, to someone who, though not perfect at it, is learning to speak her mind and embrace her feelings. She's more confident and secure within herself and in her own skin and she's become a real fighter. Very empowered.

What's a good love triangle without two amazing guys right? Guys who are complete opposites. One is night the other is day, one is dark, but a good kind of dark and the other is light. In Yours Tonight the focus was on Jack. Jack owns a chain of resorts and is more of a suit and tie kind of guy. He's very alpha and serious, powerful, controlling or maybe commanding would be a better word because controlling sounds so negative and that's not how I mean it at all. He's protective and charming. He has this ability to take over a scene when he's on the pages, his presence is just larger than life like that. I do love a good alpha male but really it was Jack's backstory and childhood and the effects that are still very much part of his day to day that really got to me and helped work his way into my heart.

Then there's Callum, who we get to meet on a couple different occasions in the first book, but really get to know in Yours Completely. If Jack is night, then Cal is day. Cal is an adrenaline junkie firefighter, I'll just let you embrace that little nugget for a moment. All kinds of sexy, am I right? Have you recovered from that thought yet? Ha! Anyway, Cal also has alpha male tendencies, but it's not overwhelming and doesn't define him. He's so sweet that it makes my heart ache and he's got this funny and playful side that I cannot get enough of. Patient, protective and reliable. It's not just Cal's past that's had me falling hard for him it's in his actions, his presence and his personality. He's kind of the whole package.

The intensity really built up in this one! And I'm not just talking intimacy wise, though not gonna lie...wow on that front as well. But I was on the edge of my seat with my heart pounding. There were so many elements of danger with psychotic stalkers and break ins and other spoilery type things that I can't name. I was truly fearing for Lana's safety through a lot of this story. And the crazy isn't even finished yet! If anything the what-the-eff cliffhanger at the end of Yours Completely just goes to show that we're going to be in for another wild and exciting ride in Yours Forever. I cannot wait!!

I'm not sure what's going to happen next. Which guy Lana is going to end up with? Either way it goes will be equally good and bad in my opinion, though if I'm going to be completely honest I am quite smitten with Callum Malone. Maybe if Lana ends up with Jack though I'll just keep Cal for myself ;) The only thing I know for sure is it's going to be intense and feelings will be involved and more than likely thoroughly smooshed. And I have a feeling I'm going to love every minute of it.

Thank you so much Joya Ryan for this ARC! I adore you lady and I can't wait to see how you bring this series to a close!!