Review: Boss Empire (Boss #9) by Victoria Quinn

Title: Boss Rules
Author:  Victoria Quinn
Publisher/Year:  Createspace Publishing 3/24/18
Length:  192 Pages
Series:  Boss #9

Overview

I’ve found a woman I can’t live without.

It’s not just about the things we do in the bedroom.

But the way she looks at me.

The way she touches me.

The way she loves me.

Maybe I can have what Titan has.

Maybe I can have even more.

My Thoughts

Again, in my personal opinion, the summary doesn’t do this book justice, but that’s ok. So where we are in this story is a great place for just about everyone. We know that Hunt/Titan are in a GREAT place – getting ready for their wedding in Thailand. We know that Thorn and Autumn are in a better place – seeing that they mean enough to one another to be in a monogamous relationship but not sure what it means past that. (at least they won’t say it out loud). We also see Vincent is in a place where he’s able to move forward a bit personally with someone who’s appropriate, and that’s a first for him.

We have three plot lines to follow in this story and then a sub plot line that i think we all were waiting for. Watching how these relationships find their footing, really solidify into something that works for each, and watching how they weave together is intense.

Much of this story is spent wondering what their world will be like once the Hunts become the Hunts. When their empires are merged, and when they become one power couple bound by law. Both are strong minded people, willing to give in some ways but not in others, and we see fights and debate brew around names, pre-nups, babies etc. The intensity and love that comes off of these two though makes us assured that there will be a resolution that works.

Then there’s the new heat and passion coming from Thorn and Autumn. They are at a place where they better understand each other and what it was from their past that made them into the emotionally stunted people they are today. Life has an interesting way of playing things out though and when they find themselves in Chicago for a conference and Thorns parents come to the forefront of things, feelings are forced onto the table and the nudge that Thorn needed is more of a strong push. Then the occasion is flipped when we find ourselves in CT with Autumn’s family and things are one again brought to a head. The constant here is that there’s this connection that they share that changes the dynamic of all that Thorn has needed in the past and it makes both of them into better people. Where they will go, only up i’d imagine, but how far up is up to the reader.

Then there’s Vincent and Scarlet. They are both quite comfortable with where they are in life, and patient enough with one another to be able to fight for what they want but know when not to push. I think that for this ninth installment, this couple is the one with the most drama. We know that Scarlet’s past isn’t a good one with her ex husband, and when information is brought to Vincent’s attention, (thanks Dielsel for the push), we see what exactly that means. There are ramifications not only for Scarlet’s ex, but for her whole family since it means that her daughter will be told about things that were always hidden from her and that means that a family will be destroyed. The flip side is that we get to see the Hunt protectiveness come at us full force here both in this instance and in what Vincent does for Scarlet when she’s put in a bad professional position.

The sub plot that i mentioned earlier is one that isn’t surprising but still makes you wonder if we get to see reciprocation or a hypocritical side to our mains. The woman who kept coming around asking for Titan is determined to be her mom, and well, Titan wants nothing to do with her. She’s skeptical of why she’s back around, and still doesn’t want a relationship. While she says there’s no anger, she seethes anger. This is where Diesel comes into play, doing exactly what Titan did to rebuild the relationship with his father, and it’ll be interesting to see how that plays out (or at least to imagine).

We get so many resolutions in this final book to the series, we see what questions that we posed throughout get answers, and we get an epilogue that gives us a glimpse into the future. There are still so many uncertainties, but there is a sense of closure in quite a few story lines. There’s a hint at a Brett romance that we never heard of before that i would LOVE to get a spin-off for (i’m going to dig and see if there is one actually) but otherwise, we see things play out as they should.

I’m sad to be leaving this series – 9 books of a great family of friends that really were unique, powerful, romantic and intense. So, onto the next and hopefully the next series will be just as great. Enjoy!

Review: Boss Rules (Boss #8) by Victoria Quinn

Title: Boss Rules
Author:  Victoria Quinn
Publisher/Year:  Createspace Publishing 3/22/18
Length:  170 Pages
Series:  Boss #8

Overview

I’ve got skeletons in my closet.

So what? Who doesn’t?

But I find myself wanting to raid her closet.

I’m familiar with strong women who rock the business world.

But I’ve never met a woman like this before.

I don’t want to share her. I don’t want her to slip through my fingertips.

But if I don’t keep her, someone else will.

My Thoughts

We’re really into it now with Vincent and Thorn and it’s such a welcome change. I know that we’ve been learning more and more about these guys and truly rooting for them to find their forever happiness, but they perhaps aren’t wired for it for completely different reasons. What we get in this eighth installment though is a change to what’s the norm for them and at the same time, we get to see the continuation of the story for Titan and Hunt.

Where to start – we can go with the basic for now – Titan and Hunt. Titan is almost recovered from the shooting and she’s itching to get back to work. The idea of buying out Ms August’s company isn’t a reality anymore so we see her change gears at the insistence of Thorn to partner instead. How that plays out is a nice new way of business for them. We see that Titan is able to compromise, which becomes a bigger theme in her personal life because of something that Hunt feels is necessary. The other path that their story goes on is that we’re getting closer to the wedding. Now that Titan is healed, they don’t want to wait to get married and that means that all the plans are going at rocket speed.

Now we can move to Thorn. As he negotiated the deal with Autumn August, he also realized that there’s intense chemistry between them and they agree that a fling makes the most sense. Of course we know that Thorn being the man that he is, he feels that he’s incapable of love and of course that means that what he starts to feel for Autumn will throw him for a loop. It’s great to watch this play out but at the same time its’ heartbreaking. On the flip side, Autumn is a fantastic character. She’s strong and confident like Titan, but she brings a bit of youth and sweetness to the series where Titan is a bit more polished. I think that it can be chalked up to experience, but they compliment one another well.

The relationship between Thorn and Autumn gets hot fast, and they hold nothing back. He admits his need to be dominant and she agrees, while maintaining her power elsewhere. She opens up to him about her past and in return he’s kind of backed into a corner to explain the situation with him and Titan. Makes for a really bad bit for them, and makes her question quite a bit. What we’re left to wonder in this book which we don’t get answers on is will their chemistry enough knowing that Thorn won’t allow himself to fall in love and Autumns’ been hurt in the past and won’t open herself up like that any time soon.

And lastly, we can move onto Vincent. This is a man perhaps that we’ve seen the biggest changes all around. He’s let go of his hatred for his sons and he’s actually formed these amazing relationships with all three care of Titan. We see a warm man, a man who really wants to have strong bonds and wants to honor the memory of his late wife. This is where the bulk of his story takes place. He’s been a man who over the past ten years has chosen to be with younger women because he knows that he won’t be able to move on from his wife and these flings will give everyone happiness for a short while. The change though comes when he’s approached to be in a magazine and there’s a spark and chemistry with the editor – a woman who’s not just beautiful, but actually appropriate for him.

Scarlet is a woman who’s lived life and is successful, and well, she doesn’t need a man but could be happy to find one. While there’s chemistry between them, Vincent spends much of this story shying away from it, pushing Scarlet away because he doesn’t want to forget his wife and we know that it will never end well for either. We have to wonder if he’s had too much good fortune lately in mending the bonds with family that maybe he’s used up his good karma. we’ll have to see.

Ohhhh i almost forgot the mysterious woman who came to Titan’s office looking for her post the shooting. Thorn and Diesel dig and of course they come to the same conclusion that I did, and we’re left wondering what the motives are here. Titan wants nothing to do with the situation, but i think that there’s going to be an explosion of sorts at some point because she can’t hide from this skeleton forever.

What i haven’t commented on much in the past in this series but i think should be noted is that the way that our author Ms Quinn writes the characters, their relationships, their passion and heat – it’s always so unique to each couple that it’s insane, and commendable. I think that’s one of the reasons that i’ve really enjoyed this series so much – because we don’t get the same story over and over again, and each is beyond hot in their own way! Good news is that there’s one more book, so i’m off to read it and hopefully we get the resolutions to everyone’s story line that i’m hoping for. Enjoy!

Review: Boss Romance (Boss #6) by Victoria Quinn

Title: Boss Romance
Author:  Victoria Quinn
Publisher/Year:  Createspace Publishing 3/8/18
Length:  150 Pages
Series:  Boss #6

Overview

Tatum Titan is happy with Diesel Hunt.

Now I have to find another partner.

So I can keep my secrets. So I can keep my fetishes.

I’d never loved a woman as more than a friend. And the only woman I’ve ever trusted is Titan.

That’s never going to change.

So I need to find someone.

But who?

My Thoughts

So i’m going to start off by saying that this summary is a bit misleading. If you read the book description, you think that you’re going to spend the bulk of this story with Thorn – watching as he tries to pick up the pieces of his life now that Titan is with Hunt. In reality, that’s not the case at all with this story, so i’ll re-level set with you guys. We left off the last book where decisions were made and those were that Titan and Hunt needed to be together, regardless of what it meant for their reputations. There’s still a lot to be dealt with, but that’s the situation.

They all agree that Thorn is allowed to be the one to claim that he broke up with Titan in the hopes that he doesn’t look like the idiot – even though Titan knows that it’ll hurt her reputation. Titan then after a point when she sees no positive impact coming out of this either personally or professionally since now Thorn won’t talk to her and their stocks are dropping. She goes on air to make a statement that seemingly does the trick and things start to get back to normal.

So that’s one piece of the story.

The other bigger plot line is around Vincent Hunt. Diesel’s father. He’s on this quest now to make amends with all of the men in the hopes of having some type of relationship with them. Thank you Titan for making him pull his head out of his rear end, but this is an up hill battle that can’t possible have a good outcome. Diesel has so much animosity against his father because of the choice he was forced to make 10 years ago. Brett always felt like the odd man out once his mother passed away – not even getting nearly the same treatment as Diesel and Jax in any capacity of life. Brett doesn’t need a father, he’s the oldest out of all the brothers, and honestly, he’s holding a bigger grudge than anyone.

The interesting twist here is that Vincent becomes a huge ally across the board with all the characters – using his clout and influence to make things happen. While i’m willing to say that maybe i was wrong about him before, i still wonder if there was something that he put in motion a while back that could come to bite them all.

The last piece of this whole story that’s still a mystery is WHO leaked the story about Titan and why can’t they discover who it is. I have my thoughts, and even though they seem to be cleared, i don’t know that i’m reassured. It’s only when we all think that all the chips have fallen into place that catastrophe strikes and someone is killed. The story from here out is changed forever and i need to jump into book 7 NOW to figure out who and why. Enjoy!

Review: Boss Woman (Boss #4) by Victoria Quinn

Title: Boss Woman
Author:  Victoria Quinn
Publisher/Year:  Createspace Publishing 2/23/18
Length:  170 pages
Series:  Boss #4

Overview

He betrayed me.

I trusted him, like a fool, and he stabbed me in the back.

Diesel Hunt.

He hurt me. Lied to me. And now he ruined me.

But I’m not the kind of woman who stays on the ground.

I’m back on my feet. I’m back from the dead. And I’m stronger than before.

It’ll take something a lot stronger to bury a woman like me.

Tatum Titan.

My Thoughts

This couple is GOING THROUGH IT. There’s no way for them to catch a break, every time they take a step forward, it seems like they take a step back. They admitted that they’re more to each other and that there’s true feeling, there’s love between them, but then when they least expected it, someone revealed the one secret that Tatum was trying to keep from the world – her experience 10 years ago that made her into who she is. And that someone apparently was Hunt. Or was it?

When we left the last book, a story was published in the NY Times revealing all that Tatum went through at the hands of her abusive ex boyfriend. The source was noted as being Hunt, and that means that he betrayed the trust that they built, revealed the one thing in the world that no one could know, and ultimately pushed Tatum back to Thorn. We readers of course know that it wasn’t Hunt who did this, but there’s no way to prove this. That’s where we spend much of this fourth installment – watching Hunt trying to prove his innocence by figuring out who was out to get them, and then trying to get Tatum back.

This piece of the story is heartbreaking on so many levels. Not only do we see one of the most intense romances fall apart, but we see strong people crumble, and that’s the worst. Walls that came down are now back up, and we are back in a cold and frosty world.

Hunt thinks that it’s Carol, the man that they ruined and bought a business from. There are thoughts that it’s Thorn (and to be honest, i think that it’s Thorn, because the timing was just tooooo coincidental) My other guess is that it’s Hunt’s father, since we know that he’s declared war once Hunt bought a business that he was going after. 200 pages of trying to figure this out while trying to win Tatum over is exhausting. Every time a step is made in the right direction, we fall back a few more.

The rift in the world is getting bigger. There are questions that Tatum poses to Thorn that pushes them apart and that’s a relationship that hurts almost too much to bear for her. Hunt makes the decision to take the eyes off Tatum’s story by revealing his story of why he and his father are estranged, and that makes his life even more complicated.

We are still at a point in this story where we don’t know how things will net out. Thorn and Tatum give Hunt a 2-week period where if he doesn’t prove that he didn’t leak the story, that they will move on and get married, and we all know that it’s an impossible feat for him to accomplish so we see his world shatter.

I”m an eternal optimist – i believe that there have to be happy endings for people who deserve them, but i’m wondering if our author is one at this point. It seems as though someone is going to get hurt and it’s our main character here. There’s no way to prove that he hasn’t done what they claim, and life is moving on. Thorn gets what he wants ideally, but i still question what that is. I think that he’s got this hidden dark side and i’m just waiting to see how that manifests. So….i’m diving right into book 5 now and i’ll let you know how that goes. Enjoy!

Review: Boss Love (Boss #3) by Victoria Quinn

Title: Boss Love
Author:  Victoria Quinn
Publisher/Year:  Createspace Publishing 2/6/18
Length:  182 pages
Series:  Boss #3

Overview

She’s on her knees.

Tatum Titan.

Just for me.

I’m the man who rules her. I’m the man who owns her. 

But our time together is coming to an end.

I realize I can’t let her go. I can’t let her marry Thorn.

Not when it should be me.

My Thoughts

The story with these two continues to heat up and FAST. We see now that it’s Hunt’s turn to be ‘in charge’ – that there’s a trade of power, and that while it’s hard for Titan, it’s something that she’s willing to do – for him. This next part of the journey with them gets really intense on a whole new level and that’s the type of stuff a good story is built on.

In this third installment, we get to the deeper bits of what’s going on in their back story. We see Hunt dig but not too harshly to get into what makes Titan into who she is – to better understand what happened 10 years ago not only to shape her as an individual, but as part of her relationship and partnership with Thorn. There’s a lot there that makes you understand her better, but i think that there are still questions in my mind of what’s in it for Thorn aside from being with someone who’s safe and makes sense. I have to question his motives from time to time especially as they’re related to Hunt because it just seems off and a bit too easy.

There are a few interesting paths that this third book takes. We see business deals get personal with Hunt, feeling like he needs to beat his father on a deal which he does, but the repercussions to that are yet to be determined. We see Hunt and Titan get into a new relationship that makes things more complex and really causes future questions to be asked now. We see a business takeover option by both Titan and Hunt separately cause rifts in their relationship and the business world, but what comes of that is something quite interesting and unique.

The underlying tone of this book similar to the others is trust and loyalty. The idea that you can trust someone and be safe is new to both of them, but it’s something that should be put back on the table….There’s family trust, there’s friendship trust and there’s lover trust and all of that plays a strong role here.

The other undeniable quality of this story is that there’s so much chemistry and passion between these two that you know that it can be great but it can also be explosive. They’re constantly pulled together but they also let others easily pull them apart. It’s hot and intense and where this passion leaves us is at both a great and horrible place. Things seem to have turned the corner, and blocks are all falling into place but a controversy breaks and that means that everything that they worked for both professionally and personally has been crushed and broken, likely beyond repair. It’ll be for us to read in the next book to see how this plays out – so that means you all know where i’m now going – back into this series and book #4. Enjoy!

Review: Boss Man (Boss #2) by Victoria Quinn

Title: Boss Man
Author:  Victoria Quinn
Publisher/Year:  Createspace Publishing 2/6/18
Length:  179 pages
Series:  Boss #2

Overview

I’ve never made a compromise before.

But I made an exception for Diesel Hunt.

Because he was all man. Because he was everything I needed. Because he would make it worth my while.

Now I’m calling the shots. I’m the one in control. No matter how much I hurt him, he asks for more.

All I can think about is when my turns arrives.

When I’m the one on my knees, wrists bound. 

Completely powerless to this man.

Diesel Hunt…the most powerful man in the world.

My Thoughts

We’re getting in deeper and deeper with this couple, and not just the to the crux of what makes them work together (or not as the case may be) but to better understand what makes them tick, what has shaped them into the person that both Tatum and Deisel are, and we can perhaps understand why this story has to be so complex and intense.

In the first installment, we met each of the billionaires separately, seeing how they win in their world, and how they both seem to want the same thing just not in the same way. When Tatum laid her cards down, Hunt wasn’t willing to give her what she needed, partially because he didn’t believe in giving up all control ever but partially because he felt that she needed to be pushed to a comprise (thank you Thorn for that information).

So when the came to an impasse in book 1, we were left wondering what it would mean for the future. In this second installment, we find ourselves coming to terms with what needs to be mandated in order for each to be comfortable and what comes of this is one of the steamiest stories ever. We see the kink come out that drives Tatum’s life everyday, and how ironically it turns Hunt on more and more.

while we’re playing voyeur and witness to the development of their relationship, friendship, lover situation, we also get to see some of the layers of each as an individual get peeled off. There’s so much more to each of these main characters’ back story that I knew if i gave them time we start to get there.

In this book, we learn more about Hunt than we do about Tatum, but the glimpse that we have of Tatum is enough to quench our thirst right now. We learn of Hunt’s relationship with his family and how it became what it is, we learn about why he has these fears for what Tatum does, and we learn that he’s not just a kind and generous man, but he’s loyal to a fault and supportive to a T.

On the flip side, we were teased with information on Tatum’s past, but we still don’t know what it means. We know that she doesn’t love anyone now and fears love because of a past relationship (information that we got from Hunt’s friend) but we don’t know the story. We see that it’s far more complex and there’s true fear and anxiety about it that keeps Tatum from opening up, and i can’t wait to see what that means. We also at the same time get a better understanding of Thorn and Tatum’s relationship, but personally i think that there’s something else there that we’ll hopefully learn soon that will really change the direction of this story.

So what we’ve come to enjoy here are tradeoffs with power, and the power struggle that results. We see that their chemistry is so hot that they actually don’t need to rely on the kinks that Tatum has relied on for so long, and that’s enough to make them all take pause. We’re left on a cliff when the power and authority now changes hands and the game is entirely new for Tatum. All Bets are OFF and we really don’t know what this will mean for the future. So, happily i can say that i have book 3 in my hands and i’m off to read it. Enjoy!

Review: Boss Lady (Boss #1) by Victoria Quinn

Title: Boss Lady
Author:  Victoria Quinn
Publisher/Year:  Createspace Publishing 1/24/18
Length:  180 pages
Series:  Boss #1

Overview

Tatum Titan

She’s the richest woman in the world, the most powerful, and not to mention, the most beautiful.

It takes a lot to impress a man like me, and at first, Titan didn’t. In fact, I noticed one of her failing businesses far quicker than I noticed her. A publishing house.

But she won’t sell.

She refuses to hear my offer at all.

My assistant makes three attempts to set up a meeting, and Titan ignores each one.

She refused me, Diesel Hunt.

The most powerful man in the world.

I wasn’t used to hearing the word no. I wasn’t used to having a rival that possessed my same confidence, my same intelligence. I wasn’t used to someone else taking control of the situation.

I was always in control.

Her coldness only makes me hotter. Her indifference only makes me more interested. As she proves herself to be the most gifted entrepreneur of this city, she claims my respect-something difficult to accomplish.

And then she claims my obsession.

My Thoughts

While i wait for the next installments of a few things, i figured i’d check this one out since it came up as something that others who read the Lingerie series would like. I’m not sure that I like it as much yet since there are so many secrets that are being teased yet not revealed, but on the flip side, the heat and passion and kink in this story take things up a notch that it’s hot in a way that the other author hasn’t gotten lately.

So in this first introduction to the series, we are met with Tatum Titan, our leading lady, a woman who created her empire from scratch from the age of 15 and has become the most powerful and wealthy woman in the world. She states her terms which are always met, both professionally and personally and that’s the way her world has run. She’s got a dark past that we don’t yet know the depth of, and we know that her friendships and relationships are tied to that, but that’s not really what takes us through this first book.

We also meet Hunt Deisel, our leading man who’s equally strong and powerful, and who always gets what he wants, until he meets Tatum. When he doesn’t get the answer that he wants on a business deal and digs deeper into the woman that Tatum is, we see that he’s not easily swayed, and his conquest changes.

The journey that we go on this first installment is one of negotiation, compromise and chemistry. They both want to live their lives separately and together on their terms but that’s not reality and they have to fight each other to get there. They’re also shrouded in a level of secrecy because of something that Tatum feels is necessary for her survival and we don’t quite get to the culmination of that agreement here.

Throughout this story though, while they fight each other every step of the way, without revealing too much about themselves in the process, we see walls come down, and at the same time, we see the most intense kink rise up. That’s her world, and not his, but a world that he’s completely open to since it has to do with her. There are secrets from their current friends, the business world, and secrets from their/her past that will never come to light that shapes the story as it has formed.

All in all, i’m intrigued, and truly drawn in, but i’m not quite sure what i’m being drawn in to. There’s the relationship between Tatum and Thorn that makes no sense to anyone since it appears that they’re together but both have admitted that they’re not what they seem. There are secrets there that we can’t yet know about and that’s what makes Hunt’s quest that much more impossible. I”m left shaking my head at so much that’s happened, and wondering if there’s any common ground that they can come to without sacrificing all that they’ve built separately. I guess that’ll come in book 2 and we’ll have more answers to what we’re wondering. So, on that note, i’ve just gotten book 2 and i’m off to see what happens. Enjoy!

Review: Boss (The Donovan Dynasty #3) by Sierra Cartwright

No-Brainer

Title: Boss
Author: Sierra Cartwright
Publisher/Year:  Totally Entwined Group 4/19/16
Length:   265 Pages
Series:  The Donovan Dynasty #3

Overview

His erotic demands test everything she believes.

When the fearless, larger-than-life Nathan Donovan becomes her boss, Kelsey Lane’s life is turned upside down. The multimillionaire wants her by his side, but his demands don’t end there.

Kelsey avoids romantic entanglements, especially with overwhelmingly dynamic men like Nathan. But she quickly discovers his attention and sensual desires ignite something deep inside her, leading her on a journey that tests everything she believes.

The youngest, boldest of the dynamic Donovan brothers, Nathan is accustomed to getting what he wants. And he focuses his attention on the smart, sexy Kelsey. He quickly discovers she’s unlike any woman he’s ever known.

She meets him, desire for desire, getting deep inside him, destroying the barriers he keeps around his heart. He wonders, though, if she’s willing to give him the one thing he demands…

My Thoughts

We didn’t really get much of a chance to learn about Nathan in the past 2 books so it’s nice to see his life come into play in this third installment.  What we do know is that he’s meticulous about finance and all things tied to that, so it’s not surprise that we see that come to be a key part of things as Donovan Wordwide takes over a new company in the Houston area.

Kelsey, our leading lady comes into the picture as the executive assistant to the company that Nathan is buying, and we quickly learn that she’s more of the backbone to running the company than what her title implies.  Things can’t run without her, and Nathan begins to see that she plays a pivotal role in her life as well.

While there’s chemistry off the bat with these two – true to our author’s form in writing character dynamics – it’s a wonder as to how they will ultimately come together.  Work seems to put a fine line between things, but fortunately for the two of them, Kelsey has a friend Andi who’s involved somewhat in the BDSM lifestyle, and gets Kelsey into a new club that just happens to be part owned by Nathan’s brother.  So nice how that works out right?

Where the rest of the story takes us is on a journey of self discovery, understanding that the need to be independent actually goes hand in hand with being in a D/s relationship, and it’s Nathan’s job to teach this all to Kelsey. The story takes place really only during a span of a week, but i think that it’s an itense few days that you can’t wait to see what happens next.

The other underlying story here is not just about the intro into the lifestyle for Kelsey, but seeing how she’s empowered to take on more, and when an opportunity presents itself to be a CEO for Lara (Connor’s wife) – well you see that she’s grown even more than imagined.

While i’m a huge fan of Ms Cartwrights, and def of this series, i think that there were times throughout that i felt like the story was lacking just a bit.  The scenes as hot as they were didn’t seem as original as i’ve come to appreciate from our author – but nonethless, at least the pace kept up. I can’t wait to see what’s next in this series since i feel like there has to be more.  Erin still needs her own installment, and i feel like after seeing her reaction to Julian Bond having a girl with him at Connor and Lara’s party in book 2, i feel like there’s definitely a good juicy story there.  On that note – enjoy everyone and i’ll be back soon!