Monthly Archives: April 2017

Review: Anchor Me (Stark Trilogy #4) by J Kenner

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Title: Anchor Me
Author: J Kenner
Publisher/Year: J Kenner 4/1/17
Length:   249 Pages
Series:  Stark Trilogy #4

Overview

Fourth novel in the fast-paced series including Release Me, Claim Me, and Complete Me. This sexy, emotionally charged romance continues the story of Damien Stark, the powerful multimillionaire who’s never had to take “no” for an answer, and his beloved wife Nikki Fairchild Stark, the Southern belle who only says “yes” on her own terms.

It’s a new chapter in the life of Nikki and Damien Stark …

Though shadows still haunt us, and ghosts from our past continue to threaten our happiness, my life with Damien is nothing short of perfection. He is my heart and my soul. My past and my future. He is the man who holds me together, and his love fuels my days and enchants my nights.

But when tragedy and challenge from both inside and outside the sanctity of our marriage begins to chip away at our happiness, I am forced to realize that even a perfect life can begin to crack. And if Damien and I are going to win this new battle, it will take all of our strength and love …

My Thoughts

Well when i thought this was a trilogy, it was fun to see that we get another installment.  There’s so much left unsaid with this happy couple, and seeing what we’ve gotten glimpses of in the spin off series wasn’t quite enough.

So this fourth installment shows us what’s next for Nikki and Damien as their lives continues.  They are both coming into a new phase of things, Nikki getting her business off the ground with a potential new deal in Dallas and Damien trying to wrap up loose ends that keep coming up and causing rifts in their relationship.  Then there’s the constant conversation around them of when they are going to have a baby  – and of course that means that when a series of events happen, we learn that Nikki isn’t sick, but preggo that their world spins.

Nikki has a hard time dealing with the news since we all know that she’s had the worst relationship with her mother and fears what that all means for her in the future.  Damien’s reaction doesn’t make her any happier given that she wonders why it’s such a positive reaction and maybe he’s been hiding his true feelings about putting kids on hold.

Of course, the dynamics of their relationship mean that we’ll see resolutions come from their love and steamy sexual chemistry.  It’s no wonder they have no trouble getting the pregnant part to stick, just a wonder of what it will mean in the future.

On top of that, there’s so much more going on.  Sofia, Nikki’s nemesis shows up in the story and that can’t be anything good.  Giselle pops up again too and you have to wonder what her angle is since she’s also one who was trying to get between them.

If those 2 weren’t enough, Nikki’s mother continues to haunt her, with Nikki feeling like she’s seeing her mom everywhere, and when she’s in Dallas and learns that her mom has sold her house there, she’s convinced that her mom’s in LA and that’s just a bad sign yet again.

So as you can see, so much turmoil and bad omens popping up that the true question in this book is what will be the breaking point and how much will they have to fight for each other in the hopes of keeping their relationship sound and happy.

The great thing that our author does throughout this series though is tee up that there are going to be spin offs and continuations of the series with the supporting characters that we know that we’ll get to continue on the journey with them all in one way or another.  The way that all the stories are interwoven is amazing and i think that we get to see a deeper story line in that sense.  I can’t wait to see what’s next for Nikki/Damien as well as all the others since there’s so much more that can be done to keep this series alive.  That and the intense heat that makes you want to root for them and the others.  Enjoy!

Review: Royal Heartbreaker (Royal Heartbreaker #1) by Ember Casey

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Title: Royal Heartbreaker
Author: Renna Peak / Ember Casey
Publisher/Year: Casey Peak Publishing 7/5/16
Length:   211 Pages
Series:  Royal Heartbreaker #1

Overview

When I accidentally wished for my own Prince Charming, I never expected him to actually show up. Not here in South America–not at the crappy charity clinic where I work.

But life never is as simple as making a wish—and while Prince Leopold is definitely charming, he’s also cocky. And arrogant. And a huge playboy. He’s everything I’ve promised myself I’d stay away from.

So why can’t I seem to resist him?

There’s no way Prince Leo is actually interested in a normal girl like me. No way he’ll ever be able to overcome his womanizing ways to be the prince of my dreams. And the more time I spend with him, it’s clear he has almost as many secrets as me.

I’m only sure of one thing—if I give him what he wants, he’s going to break my heart.

My Thoughts

After reading about Prince Leo and Elle in the first series Royal Mistake, i think that it’s about time that we learned how these two got together since it couldn’t have been easy.

Elle is working in the Children’s clinic funded by the Montovian government in South America, and she’s got just a few days left in her year contract to finish up.  The challenge in this place is that they don’t have the supplies and machinery that they need and Elle’s sacrificed just about everything that she could in order to do what she can because she truly loves helping everyone get better.  the intention of the clinic was to be a well center where people could go for vaccines and the like however because we’re in South America, the liklikhood that the people there can afford well care is low and the clinic is barely functioning.

Then enters Prince Leo who has been sent out of Montovia for one reason or another and has been tasked with finding out what’s going on in the clinic.  Of course, we have a sense of what the reason is that he was exiled and yet it’s still going to be interesting to see him admit it all.

So when these two meet, you can feel the electricity between them, however Leo comes off strong since that’s who he is and Elle has clearly had something happen in her past to make her not trust men, and does everything in her power to push him away.

Where we are left at the beginning of this first installment is Leo trying and trying some more, using an injury as a means to get closer and Elle trying her best to push him away.  When a surprise man shows up at the clinic, well we’re left to wonder what it means for them.  So…onto the next.  enjoy!

Review: Royal Mistake (Royal Mistake #6) by Ember Casey

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Title: Royal Mistake
Author: Renna Peak / Ember Casey
Publisher/Year: Casey Peak Publishing 4/3/17
Length:   211 Pages
Series:  Royal Mistake #6

Overview

The sizzling, novel-length conclusion to a very royal romance…

My relationship with Prince Andrew has been thrilling. Life-changing. Completely and totally intoxicating… But it hasn’t been easy—and it’s about to face its biggest challenge yet.

I don’t know what Andrew and I would do without each other. But this is bigger than us. The fate of Montovia hangs in the balance…

My Thoughts

Well, i really wanted to see what they were going to come up with to make everyone happy in the end, and suffice it to say, it’s a very mixed path that we go on in this last installment.

Andrew and Victoria are meant to be, yet they get in each other’s way more than they know.  both are willing to sacrifice their happiness for the good of Montovia, and i think that it’s where the downfall of it all culminates.

We know that Prince Reginald is holding everything over Andrew’s head that he possibly can and we see all the sides of him that we knew existed but didn’t really care to see.  Then there’s his father who’s now out to make sure that Andrew pays for ‘humiliating’ his daughter Justine by choosing Victoria, so all is about to go to hell.

Top that off with the fact that Andrew’s father the king is still quite gravely ill, and you know that things are going to get dicey all around.

So secrets come out, people are put into positions that they never wanted nor expected and all at the same time, Victoria and Andrew go on this ‘will they won’t they’ trip with marriage or not.

I think that what we wanted to see happen was done and what we figured was likely to happen also happens.  I wanted to see happy endings with everyone but i also feel like there are a few loose ends that may get wrapped up in a spin-off.  So, on that note, happy with the series overall and i’m going to see what i can get my hands on next.  Enjoy!

Review: Balance (The Amped Series #1) by MJ Woods

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Title: Balance
Author: MJ Woods
Publisher/Year: Dog Ear Publishing 11/21/16
Length:   258 Pages
Series:  The Amped Series #1

Overview

Aidan Pierce has nothing to prove, and everything to lose.

He’s a success in everything he does.

A prodigy disguised in a stunning male form.

Intense. Passionate. Wealthy, almost beyond measure. He’s back in his birthplace to right long ago wrongs, to bring a plan years in the making to fruition…

Until he meets Alexis Greene. Tipping her world off its axis, he unexpectedly upends his own.

Alexis Greene has everything to prove, and nothing left to lose. She graduated at the top of her law school class. She’s beautiful. Ethical. Conservative, but not shy with four letter words. She’s set to make her mark in a prominent firm in Lake County when her husband unexpectedly dies. She’s left conflicted and wanting more from life, without knowing what more there could ever be…

Until she meets Aidan Pierce. His past would never allow him to be something more – not for anyone. That doesn’t stop him from wanting her. If she fell into his world it would take everything she had to maintain her Balance.

My Thoughts

First – again i have to thank the folks over at Netgalley for getting me a copy of this first installment to yet another series.  What we have here is a story of two people who of course have a haunted past and a less than easy present, and when their paths cross, things get interesting.

We meet Aiden first when he’s having a flash back to when he was 8 years old and was reliving an experience with his drunk father.  Then that turns into a nightmare of the day his brother died in a car crash.  We know that his upbringing was tough, and of course that means that he’s going to turn into quite the successful billionaire and business man – partially with the help of his mother’s husband.

Then there’s Alexis, our leading lady who we meet in a flashback of the day that her husband ben dies – which we learn was due to an aneurysm.  Our author makes sure to note that she doesn’t react as expected but that’s all going to come out later in the story.

So where we go in this first installment to the series is that we’re in a small town in New York state where Alexis is a lawyer trying to make a name for herself as she’s just taken over her father’s firm now that she’s passed the Bar and he’s passed away.  Aiden is also in town as he’s trying to build a Center for the locals to go to learn skills to keep them from becoming what his father was.

These two trouble folks mean one thing – once they come together, there will be so much pent up pain and frustration to make any semblance of sexual tension explode – and it happens of course.

Alexis allows Aiden into her mind and heart – allows him to know her innermost secrets, especially those that surround her marriage, and in turn, he gives her a glimpse into what he was like before becoming what he is now.  Neither story is nice but i think that it gives us all a better understanding of what we’re up against.

If that wasn’t all, there’s also this underlying plot line if an energy company that wants to get their hands on some land in their town to do some drilling, under the guise of another company name and motive.  When Aiden thwarts that, Alexis of course is pissed since it’s her money that he’s hurting, until she learns why.  Then another deal comes along, but Aiden seems to think that there’s still quite a bit of danger around them all and wants Alexis to be careful.  We don’t get to the bottom of this story line in this first book but it’s lingering and definitely interesting.

Then there’s the other story line of Stella – Aiden’s ex and while we know the capacity of their relationship, there’s a lot of secrets around that which Aiden is keeping from Alexis and when it all comes to a head, we see her shut him out and the question becomes will he be able to grovel and get her to come back.  So on that note, i now have to wait until the next book comes out to see what happens.  Enjoy!

Review: The Billionaires (The Lover’s Triangle #1) by Calista Fox

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Title: The Billionaires
Author: Calista Fox
Publisher/Year: St Martin’s Press 4/4/17
Length:   245 Pages
Series:  The Lover’s Triangle #1

Overview

In this novel perfect for fans of Lora Leigh, Maya Banks, and Shayla Black, Calista Fox delivers a sexy and sensuous friends-to-lovers tale with a delicious love triangle twist.

Jewel Catalano, Rogen Angelini, and Vin D’Angelo had been childhood best friends, spending every possible moment with one another. Rogen became her first love, the first one to show her what pleasure could be. Until a volatile feud erupted between their powerful California wine country families and she and Rogen were torn apart from each other. What she didn’t expect was to find comfort and passion like she had never known in Vin’s arms and bed. But when that too ended in disaster, Jewel moved to San Francisco to work for the Catalano empire. Years later, a series of daring acquisitions brings Jewel back to River Cross, the hometown where Rogen and Vin have recently returned as well. Jewel has the curves, the smarts, and the success to bring any man to his knees—especially the two men who remained best friends and still burn to possess her.

Mixing family business with erotic pleasure ignites a smoldering love triangle. But in order to pull off the bold deal that will build the trios’ own legacy and to stay in their heady, sensual paradise, they must discover what true love really is—or lose everything their hearts’ desire…

My Thoughts

First off i should thank the folks at Netgalley for getting me an ARC to read of this series introduction.  What we have here is an interesting tale of 2 past relationships merging into an interesting Menage, all with a family feud thrown in the middle.

We start off this new series with Jewel, a woman who’s part of a family dynasty, and yet someone who’s trying to make a name for herself.  she’s back in River Crossing, her family home in the hopes of striking a deal to get a piece of land that’s been left barren because of a family feud.  Of course, Rogen, the son of another well known family is also interested in the same piece of land.  and the challenge of course is that it’s barren land because their parents were intending to do a business deal 15 years prior that ended up going wrong, and for many reasons unkown, they aren’t allowed to touch it.

Jewel’s a shrewd business woman and has a plan to get the land, and just when she thinks that she’s been able to make the deal, she learns that it’s going to blow up in her face.  The saving grace though is that the same night that she strikes the deal with Gian, Rogen’s father, she connects with him and all the past heat between them ignites hotter than you can even imagine and we see something amazing start.

If that weren’t good enough, feeling the chemistry between them leap off the pages, Vin,Rogen’s best friend and psuedo brother shows up and there’s clearly a history between him and Jewel as well, and we see that she slaps him upon sight, and things go on an interesting path from there.

The rest of the story we see Jewel trying to make her deal happen, while also finding out that the heat and chemistry that she has with Rogen is back with even more passion.  We also learn that the hatred that caused this slap on sight from Jewel to Vin is fueled by their own passion from years past, and well, the threesome is born.

I’m a fan of good writing when we get the chance to have trios, however there were instances when i think that the heat could have been taken a bit hotter and further.  The story was maintained even without the extra umph and i’m quite interested to see where things go now that there’s a hint that we’re going to learn what caused the riff between families.

All in all, a nice intro to a new series and i can’t wait to see what’s next.  there are so many secondary character’s that we’ve met that i feel like spin off installments are due.  Enjoy!

Review: Empire of Storms (Throne of Glass #5) by Sarah J Maas

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Title: Empire of Storms
Author: Sarah J Maas
Publisher/Year: Bloomsbury USA 9/6/16
Length:   595 Pages
Series:  Throne of Glass #5

Overview

Kingdoms collide in Sarah J. Maas’s epic fifth installment in the New York Times bestselling Throne of Glass series.

The long path to the throne has only just begun for Aelin Galathynius. Loyalties have been broken and bought, friends have been lost and gained, and those who possess magic find themselves at odds with those who don’t.

With her heart sworn to the warrior-prince by her side, and her fealty pledged to the people she is determined to save, Aelin will delve into the depths of her power to protect those she loves. But as monsters emerge from the horrors of the past, and dark forces become poised to claim her world, the only chance for salvation will lie in a desperate quest that may mark the end of everything Aelin holds dear.

In this breathtaking fifth installment of the New York Times bestselling Throne of Glass series, Aelin will have to choose what — and who — to sacrifice if she’s to keep the world of Erilea from breaking apart.

My Thoughts

There is SO MUCH going on in this 5th installment that i tried to make reading it take longer since i know that we’ll be waiting ages for the next one to come out.  i LOVE this series and i can’t say it enough.

We have seen Aelin come into her own and really get her strength in her power and control over her kingdom.  It’s not an easy quest and it’s going to get much harder.  She’s still on the trail of all the wordkeys and challenging isn’t even the beginning of what she’s up against.

We saw that her alliances throughout the series have become interesting – how she’s now so completely tied to Rowan that you have to wonder what that will mean for him as a Fae prince and for the others in his cadre since there seems to be quite the unbreakable bond there, even though he’s no longer tied like they are to Queen Maeve.

Then there’s the story around Manon.  we have seen her rise to power in her coven, yet it looks like things are going to get so much worse given that there’s information being kept from her from Erawan and her grandmother, and she’s starting to distrust them all.  What’s so nice about this story line for her is that we see that she’s got emotions and a heart and that while she’s thrown into a situation that’s completely unexpected, she’s able to show that she’s perhaps more valuable than anyone knew.

then there’s Elide – the girl from Terrasen who was held captive by her uncle in Morath, and who we learn that there’s more to her back story than we knew before.  She’s becoming more important since Manon claims care over her and yet, she’s still finding that maybe that’s not the right path for her.  The way that her story goes, and how it intertwines with Lorcan, one of the other strong Fae men in Maeve’s court, well you know that it’s going to be interesting.  Neither of them trusts the other, and yet there’s something unique growing between them.

Then there’s Dorian – well, he’s now the king, yet he’s trying to control his power so it means that we’re going to see that as a tough journey for him.  How strong is he and will he help Aelin take over control of things.

And last, but not least of folks that we know and love, Lysandra and Aedion.  They are a pair that’s becoming a force to be reckoned with.  Lysandra’s role throughout this story is one that no one realizes until it’s too late. Aelin sees what she’s able to become and uses that to their advantage, and to see what that means as this story progresses is incredible.

A war is brewing – that much we know.  There’s no question that there’s going to be a lot of lost lives, lost loves, and there’s really only one chance that they’ll get to get control of the continent.  Maeve proves to be worse than anyone knew, but Aelin is more resourceful than anyone else expected and we see her pulling out tricks right and left.  The problem though is that there’s not enough time for her to get things together before all hell breaks loose and we’re left at a point in the story where hope is lost, friends have been taken hostage and we really have no idea what’s next and how they can win.  if they can win.  i can’t wait until book 6 comes out.  i need it now!!!!