Review: Hold on Tight (Man of the Month 2) by J Kenner

Title: Hold on Tight
Author: J Kenner
Publisher/Year:  Martinin & Olive 1/30/18
Length:   189 Pages
Series:  Man of the Month #2

Overview

A hard body. A dangerous past.
Meet Mr. February.

Reality-TV star and reformed bad boy Spencer Dean doesn’t trust women. Not after his fiancée, Brooke, left him at the altar five years ago, breaking his heart and hardening his soul.

Now, Brooke is close to a deal for her own show that will launch with the remodel of a popular Austin bar. The problem? The network insists that Spencer step in as her partner.

He’s tried to forget her—but he can’t deny that he still wants her. More than that, he wants to punish her. And so he agrees, but only on terms that are provocative, demanding, and wildly sensual.

It’s the perfect set-up for extracting revenge. But he doesn’t expect to fall for Brooke all over again…

Revenge never looked so hot.

My Thoughts

The story continues – and we get exactly what we always expect from J Kenner – a plot filled with twists and turns, not only the ones that surround the couple that we focus on but on the obstacles of their past and all around them.  We know that Brooke is about to get the show of her dreams to help her push her business ahead, and all that stands in her way is Spencer – a guy who had a show on the same network before, but also the guy that she gave her heart to 5 years ago, only to break it in the hopes of keeping a secret.

So here we are – 5 years in the future, where these 2 are thrown together again all so that they can get what they want out of life.  Brooke’s business, and Spencer desperately wants to buy a house and fix it up, all on a show that he’s due to headline to finish up his contract with the network.  Their deals hinge on each other, and whether it goes off without too much trouble is what we get to read.

The interesting thing in this story is that there’s really no angst and anxiety once we get past Spencer being a total guy in the beginning, it’s smooth sailing for them, realizing that they still have feelings of love and not hate.  What becomes the issue though is Brooke’s father – the same person who ripped them apart all those years ago, and he’s trying to manipulate Brooke into playing into his hand.  What he doesn’t realize is that she’s grown up and she’s going to push back.

There are a few underlying secrets and secondary plots that follow this story too – a few that come out in complicated ways, but i think that all in all we get the story that we’re all hoping for .

To tie it back to the main purpose of the series though, we get to see how The Fix is getting renovated in the hopes of getting enough money to keep it running.  There’s the continued plot line of Jenna and Reese from the fist book and seeing how their story is going on a more mature path as expected.  We also see the introduction of Cam and Mina – the focus for book 3 i’d assume and how that takes shape will be entertaining i’m sure.

Add to all that the romance and steam and heat that we always get from J Kenner, and you have a series that is bound to keep you interested week after week – just waiting to see what comes next and what’s going to happen to the bar.  I can’t wait for book 3 in another week or so.  Enjoy!

Review: Down on Me (Man of the Month #1) by J Kenner

Title: Down on Me
Author: J Kenner
Publisher/Year:  Martinin & Olive 1/11/18
Length:   238 Pages
Series:  Man of the Month #1

Overview

Tight muscles. Vibrant Ink.
Meet Mr. January. Winter’s never looked so hot …

Certified bachelor Reece Walker wants two things-to save the local bar he manages and to get Jenna Montgomery into his bed.

He has a few ideas for the bar. But Jenna . . . well, he’s going to have to rely on cold showers, because she’s been his best friend for years, and that’s a line he just can’t cross.

Until one wild kiss on a dark night changes everything. Now Reece is certain Jenna’s meant to be his.

And with long nights in bed, sensual caresses, and deep, lingering kisses, he sets out to thoroughly convince her that friends can be lovers, too.

My Thoughts

I’m a huge fan of J Kenner so i’m always open to a new series.  It’s interesting how this is positioned though.  I mean, in the summary, it says that it can be read as a stand alone, but knowing that there’s a story that is being set up here, something that would last long enough to encompass the entire year, it makes you wonder if there’s value to reading it all.  (which we all know that i will).

So in this first installment, we have a trio of friends, who were best friends for ages and now we start to see that feelings are getting involved.  I think that it’s safe to say that Ms Kenner isn’t going to give us a story that will make us hate one of the mains or another so that’s good news.

On top of that, we have the basis for the rest of the story – all centering around a bar called The Fix – a staple in their lives and a place that needs to be saved from a mortgage gone awry.  That’s where Brent, Reece and Jenna come into play – making it their goal for the near future to come up with enough money to make the payment and then keep the bar running.

So you can imagine a high stress story – all wrapped into a romance.  Jenna and Reece had chemistry at one point before she moved away from Austin and both had been in denial about it and well, when things happen, you see how there’s potential for so much more.  The challenge of course is that we know that Reece isn’t the kind of guy who wants commitment (he’ll happily be in a relationship but marriage isn’t an option) and while Jenna goes into it saying that’s ok, things change and we see heartache and heartbreak.

It’s a sweetly written story – lots of great chemistry and passion that we have come to expect and crave from the author but it’s still written in a way that we enjoy the romance and the potential that may come down the line.

On that note – i can’t wait for book 2 since the set up shows us that we’re going to get a lot of angst and likely a bit of pent up anger and frustration coming up for the new main characters.  Enjoy!

Review: Wicked Torture (Stark World #3) by J Kenner

Title: Wicked Torture
Author: J Kenner
Publisher/Year:  EverAfter Romance 11/14/17
Length:   300 Pages
Series:  Stark World #3

Overview

He’s very good at being bad…

Outwardly, Noah Carter is riding high as Stark International’s newest tech genius. Inside, he’s still reeling from the death of his wife and daughter. For years, he’s thrown himself into his work, cutting himself off from emotional ties because they hurt too damn much. But when an old girlfriend walks back into his life, Noah realizes three things: That it’s time to heal. That Kiki is the woman he wants. And that he’ll do whatever it takes to convince her.

Aspiring singer Kiki Porter remembers Noah only too well. He’s the man who ripped her heart into tiny shreds—and then stomped on it. She’d believed he was the love of her life, but then he left, and his departure left her confused and reeling. Now he’s back, and pursuing her with a sensual relentlessness that leaves her breathless.

She wants him—she does. But even though she melts in his arms, how can she trust that this time he’ll stay? Especially when long buried secrets threaten their hope for a future together…

My Thoughts

I love this series – even the larger series and i think that there was so much build up to Noah’s background that it’s great to see it play out here.  His past continues to haunt him with the kidnapping and murder of his wife and child, but what we see is that his past was even worse.  He has another love – a true love that he had to walk away from because Darla had gotten pregnant.  So that’s where we are in this third book in the series.  their paths cross in Austin and life is turned upside down.

Kiki is back – and in Noah’s life in so many forms that he can’t even function.  He sees her in a bar singing, which was her passion back when he knew her, and now she’s doing it again right in front of him.  then there’s the fact that a day later she’s in front of him in his office of Stark Enterprises pitching a marketing plan.  They can’t seem to stay away from each other but know that being near each other is bad.  She’s got everything at stake here and he’s under a lot of pressure from Damien Stark to perform.

The story from here goes on a few different paths.  Everyone is afraid for Kiki that she will get sucked back into the world of Noah and get hurt again – get her heart broken and find herself beyond repair.  Noah on the other hand is as sure now as he was before that Kiki is for him, but he’s got so much baggage from the loss of his family that it’s hard to open up.

When they do allow themselves to try – we see that true to form of Ms Kenner our amazing author, that they are intensely connected.  There’s so much heat and passion there, the past speeds up and meets the present so fast and furious that it’s combustible and that’s exactly what happens.  So of course when things are going well and someone returns from the past, it all blows up.  Poof – gone.

I think that it’s one of the great things that our author is able to do.  She’s weaving this story that gives you hope up to a certain point and knows exactly what is needed to rip the rug out from under us.  There’s so much uncertainty in their lives and there’s even more with this past bit creeping in.  You want to root for them, but you also know that there’s so much more being discussed now.  So on that note, cold shower needed and i can’t wait to see what’s next in the series.  enjoy!

 

Review: Wicked Dirty (Stark World #2) by J Kenner

Title: Wicked Dirty
Author: J Kenner
Publisher/Year:  Ever After Romance 9/19/17
Length:   300 Pages
Series:  Stark World #2

Overview

Sometimes bad isn’t good enough…

On the outside, Lyle Tarpin is a clean-cut Hollywood actor whose star is on the rise. Inside, he’s battling his own demons, shunning relationships and finding solace in the arms of a string of anonymous women paid very well for their discretion.

But when he’s photographed in a compromising position by an over-eager reporter, the only way to save his career is to say that the woman he was with is his fiancée. And now Lyle has to play a very public game with the only woman who’s ever managed to get under his skin.

Struggling waitress Sugar Laine agrees to spend one night with Lyle—but only because she’s desperate to save her family home. She never expects that a night of passion will turn into a pretend engagement … or that the heat between them will blossom into love.

But sometimes love has a price.

And now the only question is—can Lyle and Sugar afford to pay it?

My Thoughts

One of the great things that Ms Kenner does is continue to create amazing stories to keep this world alive.  Each time we meet a new character in another book, we know that we’re going to get something beyond amazing when it’s time for their own story to come out.  Now it’s time for Golden Boy Lyle to shine.

There’s such a sweet undertone in this installment.  There’s so much under the surface with Lyle that we never knew before, that when we start to uncover why he is so elusive and why he makes the unattached choices that he does – well it all comes into place.

Then of course our leading lady is a bit damaged as well and we get to see how that meshes with Lyle.  Sugar has her own struggles – her mother and brother were killed leaving her to some how pick up the pieces of their home so she doesn’t lose everything.  It’s a chance opportunity that turns in to so much more that brings our story together.

A theme that pulls through just about every J Kenner story is that there are secrets that you know you can’t keep from the world and they will come out when you least expect it.  often shared by someone who has revenge or jealousy at the core.  That’s exactly what comes to play in this story, and it’s how the mains handle it that really shapes where the story closes.

The other nice thing here is that chemistry is definitely off the charts, but like the other story in this series as well as the others in the main series, sex isn’t the necessity on every other pages.  the way that the heat and romance and passion is written in, well it makes it that much more powerful and i think that when we get to the steamy scenes, well they are beyond hot.

So all in all you can tell that i really enjoyed this one.  I can’t wait to see how book 3 turns out since we finally get to learn more about the haunting ghosts of Noah – since there are quite a few.  On that note – have a great night all!

Review: Wicked Grind (Stark World #1) by J Kenner

Title: Wicked Grind
Author: J Kenner
Publisher/Year: EverAfter Romance 7/11/17
Length:   320 Pages
Series:  Stark World #1

Overview

Sometimes it feels so damn good to be bad

Photographer Wyatt Royce’s career is on the verge of exploding. All he needs is one perfect model to be the centerpiece of his sexy, controversial show. Find her, and Wyatt is sure to have a winner.

Then Kelsey Draper walks in. Stunning. Vibrant. And far too fragile for a project like this. Wyatt should know—after all, he remembers only too well how their relationship ended all those years ago.

Desperate for cash and frustrated with her good girl persona, Kelsey sets her sights on Wyatt’s show. But only the show. Because she knows too well that Wyatt Royce is a danger to her heart.

But when Wyatt agrees to give her the job only if he has complete control—on camera and in his bed—Kelsey can’t help but wonder if she’s in too deep. Because how can a good girl like her ever be enough for a man like Wyatt?

My Thoughts

So it says that it’s a stand alone novel, but while this story is, it’s also tied to the greater series which is nice.  I mean, we’ve spent so much time over the course of the full series with Wyatt to know that he’s close to Nikki, and Damien, so it’s great to get his story as well.

Then there’s Kelsey, the girl who got away, but who also ran and she’s fighting her own demons.  She’s grown up now sure, but she’s still at the mercy of her family – the ideas that her father embedded in her head while she was growing up, and the reprocussions of something that happened 12 years prior that she’s trying to make right.

The way that our amazing author writes this story is a series of present day scenes with a bit of history from 12 years ago peppered in.  There’s something nice here about getting the back story in the way that we do, without getting all the details of the ‘right after’ since that’s something that i think we need to see the present day characters puzzle out.

This is such a sweet story – Wyatt deserves to have all the successes in the world, especially since he’s trying to create his own reputation, not live off that of his famous grandmother.  He’s about to step over that threshold, yet he needs his muse – and lucky for him, she pops into his studio, subbing in for her friend.

There’s nostalgia here, amazing romance and chemistry that overcomes everything, heat that’s leaping off the pages, and self doubt that makes you wonder if they are strong enough now to even be who they want.

I’m so glad that we get glimpses now into the lives of some of the supporting cast of the main series – they are so amazing and really help important roles when they were introduced before that it’s only fair that we get it in a full story now.  I can’t wait to see Lyle’s story since i believe that’s next.  Enjoy!

Review: Bitch Slap by J Kenner

Title: Bitch Slap
Author: J Kenner
Publisher/Year: Martini & Olives  5/31/17
Length:   158 Pages

Overview

The first time I met her I wanted to slap her.
The second time, I knew I had to have her.
As for the third time, a gentleman doesn’t tell.
So I guess it’s a good thing I’m no gentleman … right?

Let’s get this out of the way, right off the bat: I love women.

I love the way they look. The way they smell. The way they feel. Especially the way they feel. And I’ve pretty much made it my mission to give each and every woman who shares my bed the ride of her life.

Then I met her. Bitchy as hell and completely uninterested in me. And damned if I didn’t want her. Crave her. I told myself I only wanted to tame her. That it was all about the challenge.

I never expected to break through that ice queen exterior and find the softness underneath. Never expected how wild she’d be between the sheets or the way she’d cry my name with such sincere intensity when I totally rocked her world.

Most of all, I never expected to fall for her.

But I did.

And the question is, now that I know I want her, how the hell do I go about keeping her?

My Thoughts

So i’m a huge fan of all things tied to J Kenner since we have some of the best series by her so i was excited to get into this standalone.  It’s an interesting story – honestly, i think that it felt VERY VERY different from all that we’ve read by J Kenner, and i wondered at times if it was actually written by her.  It was only the tie back to Jamie and her boyfriend Hunter to help out with some security things, along with teasing back to Stark through needing help getting into a hotel that made them all blend together.

So what we have here is a story of a guy, Pierce, who’s had his heart broken in the past, was military as well, so we know that he’s got more walls than anyone.  He’s looking for ‘something’ but not sure what it is, and he knows that he only wants ‘one night’ with anyone so that he’s not able to grow bonds.

Then there’s Jez – the leading lady of this saga, the older sister of a hollywood starlet who’s on the bad end of a scandal, and the sister just wants to find a way to protect her sister and keep things from getting any worse.

Its through a wrong encounter that we see these two cross paths, thinking that each is someone else and it’s clearly all for the best as we see.

So, Pierce and Jez show us that they have interesting chemistry – both for the fact that they are strong willed and the fact that they’re looking for something without knowing that they are looking for it.  meaning they both clearly need a release as they’re high strung and they both need to find comfort in someone and trust in someone, so it’s nice that they are able to avoid admitting it here and just do it. for now.

With this book, it’s sweet-  and quite expected but i don’t know – there’s something about it that didn’t feel right with me.  We usually have good highs and lows when we get stories from Ms Kenner and that’s not really the case here.  there were maybe a few seconds of grief sure, but nothing that was uber climactic and i feel like it’s a miss on her part.  The ending though was nice since it wasn’t the expected ending for some of the characters – so that was played nicely.

so all in all, a decent novella, and i think that as a tied me over to something out from the bigger series about nikki and damien, i’ll take it.  enjoy!

Review: Hold Me (Stark Trilogy #4.1) by J Kenner

Title: Hold Me
Author: J Kenner
Publisher/Year: Evil Eye Conceps 5/23/17
Length:   120 Pages
Series:  Stark Trilogy #4.1

Overview

My life with Damien has never been fuller. Every day is a miracle, and every night I lose myself in the oasis of his arms.

But there are new challenges, too. Our families. Our careers. And new responsibilities that test us with unrelenting, unexpected trials.

I know we will survive—we have to. Because I cannot live without Damien by my side. But sometimes the darkness seems overwhelming, and I am terrified that the day will come when Damien cannot bring the light. And I will have to find the strength inside myself to find my way back into his arms.

My Thoughts

I’ll never get enough of Damien and Nikki, especially as we see their lives grown and change together so this novella is a great little snippet into how their lives have changed once again.  We left them after Nikki had a miscarriage while trying to grow her business in Dallas, and then how she and Damien struggled to understand what that meant for their relationship.  As things happened, they ended up not only adopting a little girl but finding themselves pregnant again and this time it stuck.

So we’re in the future, just as Nikki is about to go back to work and as all new moms struggle, we see that she has a tough time knowing that she’s going to miss those moments of her kids growing up, all those firsts, but also knowing that she wants to stand on her own and grow her company since that’s her passion.

The short novella we have here is a sweet one of seeing how a relationship changes, yet how those struggles are real, but can be managed through the never ending support of your partner.  Damien continues to amaze us in how patient and understanding he is, and how he’s supportive until the end.

It’s when problems arise in Nikki’s company that we see things change, and we can only wonder what those outcomes and decisions will be and how they will shape the lives of the Starks moving forward.

While it was perhaps a bit too short to truly give us the amazing bits that we have come to crave with this couple, it’s a nice little bit of reading to keep things moving with this story.  Enjoy!

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

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: Tempt Me (A Stark International Novella) by J Kenner

no-brainer

Title: Tempt Me
Author: J Kenner
Publisher/Year:  Evil Eye Concepts 2/14/17
Length:   127 Pages
Series:  A Stark International Novella

Overview

When sexy Stark Security Chief Ryan Hunter whisks his girlfriend Jamie Archer away for a passionate, romance-filled weekend so he can finally pop the question, he’s certain that the answer will be an enthusiastic yes. So when Jamie tries to avoid the conversation, hiding her fears of commitment and change under a blanket of wild sensuality and decadent playtime in bed, Ryan is more determined than ever to convince Jamie that they belong together.

Knowing there’s no halfway with this woman, Ryan gives her an ultimatum – marry him or walk away. Now Jamie is forced to face her deepest insecurities or risk destroying the best thing in her life. And it will take all of her strength, and all of Ryan’s love, to keep her right where she belongs…

My Thoughts

I love all bits of this series – all the spinoffs and all that’s going on.  Jamie and Ryan deserve happiness and it seems like they’ve found it but of course that’s never enough.  Jamie’s had a tough life from what we all know – she was first trying to break into hollywood and that was tough for her – and she was ok with the role that she played with men – being the pretty arm candy.  Then comes along Ryan – the man who turned her world upside down.

What they have together is an amazing romance, one that’s lasted years and they are really in love and happy.  the challenge though is that Ryan wants the fantasy – the marriage, kids, life and all that.  and Jamie’s terrified of that.  So in this installment of their story – Ryan thinks that they are finally on the same page, proposes and Jamie has a moment of fear again.  All because her parents are getting separated.

So, where we go in this short story is seeing what that means for the happiest couple of all.  Will Ryan be able to make Jamie stop being afraid or will Jamie push him too far and they will see the end of it all.  I think that while it’s so short, we get a lot packed into the story – and i think that it’s exactly what we needed to hold us until the next full length is ready.  Enjoy!

Review: Entice Me (Stark Trilogy #3.11) by J Kenner

no-brainer

Title: Entice Me
Author: J Kenner
Publisher/Year: Martinin & Olive
Length:   83 Pages
Series:  Stark Trilogy #3.11

Overview

I didn’t understand passion until I met Damien, the man who turned my world upside down and swept me off my feet.

And though our life together feels perfect, we can’t escape our secrets–and the danger that continually threatens to surface.

But for one night, I seek a respite. A birthday wish for my husband, my lover, my friend-one absolutely perfect night.

It is my most ardent wish.

And I only hope that it will come true…

My Thoughts

I love this series and all that comes with it in terms of spin offs and novella etc.  I think that there’s just so much that we can do with Nikki and Damien, and even with where their story will take them that while this is a short novella, it’s so so sweet.

What do you give to the man who has everything when they have given you the world?  that’s the ultimate question that we have in this installment.  Nikki is challenged to find something amazing to give him since she’s given him the world with his love and affection.

The journey that we go on in this short story is the week leading up to Damien’s birthday, during which Nikki has decided to throw Damien a surprise party and with that comes the need to keep it a secret.

If that weren’t enough, she’s also going through the process of submitting a proposal for a bid on an account that’s based in Dallas that would be the one to put her company on the map and that’s giving her anxiety based on sheer size alone.  If that weren’t enough, she has anxiety about the fact that it’s Dallas and where she’s from and where her mom lives, the one person that she’s trying her best not to let have any affect or influence on her life anymore because of their past together.  She has a moment where she thinks that she sees a reflection of her mother on a window in town, and that makes her rethink everything that she’s doing.  You know though that Damien (and probably her bestie Jamie) will swoop in and remind her that she’s amazing and capable and can’t let her mother ruin things.

The other bit of this story is that if you’ll recall from the main series, there was the threat of photos being released of Damien that had his ex Carmela in them.  There was a point in time when Nikki’s father was being framed for those photos, but we learned that he’s not the culprit.  In this short story though, Carmela comes back and we learn who is behind them and that there is a threat that they will come out.  So in addition to trying to sort out the surprise of the party, they all now have to deal with this scandal yet again.

I don’t know how we were able to fit all that into a short novella, but J Kenner managed to do it amazingly.  Tied all into that, we continue to see the passion and love between Nikki and Damien since we’re not at all missing many scenes between them.  It’s hot and it’s steamy and i think that Damien is the perfect alpha type guy that works so well in this story. All in all, a great mid point while we’re waiting for Anchor Me to come out.  And the teaser that we got at the end of Entice me – it makes me really excited to see what comes next since it seems as though a storm is brewing!