Saturday, January 31, 2015

Three Nights with a Rockstar

Three Nights with a Rock Star (Half-Life, #1) 
 1/2
When Hailey crashes a Half-Life after party, she expects to find the bastard who knocked up her little sister. Instead she meets the sexy front-man who agrees to give her access to his crew if she gives him access to her body.
All Lock demands in return is three days of complete control over the Sunday School teacher. With a contract, because he’s been burned before. One misstep could send the band—and his tenuous sobriety—up in flames.
Hailey and Lock push each other’s limits… Against the penthouse window. Backstage. In the limo and on the elevator. But as the contract counts down, neither are ready for the party to end. 

Review

**** Aspendawn Books, via NetGalley, provided me with a complimentary copy of this book for an honest review****
Hailey has always been the responsible one, the good girl. Raising and providing for her sister Chloe when their mother proved they didn't matter to her. Internally fighting to never resemble her, Hailey keeps herself tightly under wraps and never explores any desire she may find deep inside. All that changes when Chloe returns from traveling with the band Half- Life and confesses she's pregnant but the father isn't in a good place right now to be just that, a father. Hailey won't take that for an answer when both they both know what it's like to grow up with missing fathers. The problem is Chloe isn't giving up his name. With an inadequate plan Hailey decides to infiltrate the band and find the father herself. Going straight to the man in charge she heads to the hotel to find Lock. The scene that greets her proves she is way out of her league. However, among the passed out and plant fertilizing men she finds her redemption in a drop dead gorgeous man who thankfully, appears to be sober. As luck would have it he happens to be just the man she was looking for. What she wasn't planning on was finding herself in a contract to spend the next three days in his bed. So what happens when Hailey lets herself break free from her good girl shell and enjoy life? She just might be risking it all.
Three Nights with a Rockstar was a fast paced and sexy ride. There was adventure but nothing over the top outrageous to try to get the reader's attention, just honest good writing with great characters. It was almost like watching a really personal documentary or reading a biography, the world of rock & roll brought to life through the words on each page.
I was hoping for a good book but what I wasn't expecting is to get hooked on the main couple and a few supporting characters so quickly. Lock, Hailey, Krist, Chloe and a few others had me reading until the early morning hours, Lock specifically. Sure, this isn't my first tattooed sex & music god I've read but there was something about him that stayed with me. He was delicious yes, there of course is that. More so he carried a level of dominance and swagger but broke down his walls with Hailey and there was a deep connection in that vulnerability. A real person, not just everyone's persona of a fantasy. I was worried when I discovered how much of a good girl Hailey was. *Cue the look of horror thinking I was reading another blushing "virgin".* Thankfully once the cardigan came off she became a confident women who wasn't afraid to enjoy what she wanted. As excited as I am for Krist's book I'm almost sad that I can't selfishly have several books with the two of them.
I was actually a little surprised that TNwaR was written by two authors. The chapters flow so smoothly. It's descriptive but not excessive. Imaginative but not outrageous. Just the right mix to get lost in your fantasy but not get vertigo when you finish the last page.
This is a series that I will be marking release dates in my calendar and stalking the author's facebooks for!  


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Friday, January 30, 2015

Follow (Social Media #1)

Follow (Social Media, #1) 
1/2
 #Women.
I fuck them. I use them. I pay them off. I find another. My demands are never denied. My contracts are always signed. They submit to me. Willingly. Completely. Temporarily. This is how it's always been.
Until I saw that filthy tweet.
@VaughnAsher My bare pussy. Your tongue. #ThingsIThinkAboutToGetOff
"FilthyBlueBird" thinks she can tease me with hashtags and then hide behind a Twitter handle? She thinks I wouldn't be more than happy to #RockHerFilthyWorld? She's wrong.
Her online fantasy is about to collide with her public reality, and it's about to happen... now

Review

**** Indie Inked, via Netgalley, provided me with a complimentary copy of this for an honest review****
Grace Kinsella hides behind the handle @FilthyBlueBird to do what she secretly wishes she could do in person, sling dirty one liners at her movie star god Vaughn Asher, a man as untouchable as he is gorgeous. Things are safe behind a semi anonymous online profile and a hashtag. Until a vacation with her best friends lands her face to face with non other than the real @VaughnAsher. Well, everything's safe as long as he doesn't figure out her secret...
I am so glad I read this one so close to the release of #2 because I was hooked instantly! Fun, sexy and hysterical this novella promises to be a favorite and worth the short wait in between. Vaughn and Grace compliment each other beautifully and I loved seeing the confident man bring her out of her shell. Grace promises to be one of those strong female MCs that you can get behind as we watch her grow. What can I say about Vaughn other than that mouth? Wow, he's delicious and adventurous and we're just starting to delve into him. I have a strong feeling Grace is going to put his world off it's axis. The writing flew by like it was meant to be devoured. There were side characters to add to the story but to be honest I only had eyes for Grace & Vaughn. Give me more! 
 

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Thursday, January 29, 2015

UnWritten

 UnWritten 
  
Children's librarian by day. Romance novelist by night.
British single father.
Someone else is writing this love story...
Blair Walton isn't your average curvaceous tattooed children's librarian. She's also one half of bestselling romance author, Scarlet Rose. Along with her BFF Raine, she spends her nights writing books so steamy, she's afraid they would shock her Southern conservative grandmother to death . . . if she knew about them. That's why she and Raine write in secret.
On deadline for their latest book and out of ideas, Raine suggests (demands) that Blair find a guy and "do some research". Declan Bennet has all the qualifications: He's British, looks fabulous in a suit, has glorious blue eyes and gets bonus points for being an amazing single dad to his adorable son, Drake. But what starts out as a research project quickly turns into something much more. And Blair's not the only one with secrets. 

Review



****All Night Reads, via NetGalley, provided me with a complimentary ARC of this book for an honest review*****
Blair Walton; tattooed children's librarian by day, secret smut co-writer by night. When the steam factor dries up, her best friend Raine has the perfect idea, why not seek real life inspiration to help spice up their pages? Blair admits she's not exactly drowning in male companionship but using someone to fill their empty pages just feels wrong. That is until she crosses paths with a beautiful and exuberant little boy named Drake and meets his father. Declan Bennet definitely catches her attention, and who could blame her. He's gorgeous, intelligent, well read, a great father, and oh, the little detail that his British accent makes her weak in the knees. When he asks her out there's not a thought of saying no. However, when both of their secrets catch up to them will they find they're both willing to work past them?
3 stars, because while I enjoyed the story with no skimming I somehow missed the spark that connected me to either character. I actually liked Blair more than Declan. He was charming sure, but I found he could have been a supporting character and I would have been fine with it, there was just something that kept me from feeling for him. I also found that things were put off and suspense was built so much for certain things and then they felt anti climatic leaving me to wonder if there was more to come. The writing wasn't overly flawed or hard to enjoy beyond that, leaving a fun story with a female lead that I did bond with to a point. Raine was a little immature, but that was ok, and I loved banter between her and Blair. There were moments that made me laugh sporadically throughout the story. I felt compassion for Blair. The sex was steamy but not over the top, chemistry believable between the two main characters but not simmering. Drake was probably one of my favorite characters and I wish we could have gotten more of the interactions between the three of them. The descriptions of him rang true for a 3 year old and I found him charming and reminding myself of my own rowdy son. I think fans of new adult will have fun with this story. 



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Wednesday, January 28, 2015

Three the Hard Way (ACRO #7)

1/2
 Lovers Taggart Brody and Justice McKinney possess special abilities that make them valuable to agencies who employ—or enslave—people with extraordinary talents. When tragedy tears them apart, Justice finds purpose working for the good guys: ACRO, the super-secret Agency for Covert Rare Operatives. But he never forgets Taggart or the past they once shared.
Heartbroken, Taggart runs from who he is . . . right into the arms of Ian Bridges. But Ian, battling his own demons, betrays Tag to the terrorist organization Itor. After months of torture, Tag manages to escape, but kills an ACRO agent in the process.
With nowhere left to turn, Tag disappears into the Alaskan wilderness, but it’s only a matter of time before his enemies track him down. He reaches out to Justice, and somehow Ian finds him too, hoping to right his wrongs. With ACRO and Itor both bearing down, the three men must figure out how to forgive, how to work together, and how to love each other—or the coming battle will destroy them all.

Review

**** Riptide Publishing, via NetGalley, provided me with a complimentary copy of this book for an honest review****
Three men who should probably hate each other by now for various reasons. Past lovers scorned. Betrayed. Heartbroken. Men who thought they could always depend on the other ripped apart. Justice grew up loving Taggart like the best friend he'd always known, and then the lover he thought he'd never live without. The feeling was mutual until the Christmas night that took both of their mothers away and tore them apart. Still, when Taggart needs help he reaches out to the man who he's always loved, even if he feels he left him for ACRO. Then, Ian, the second man Tag ever loved even when he thought himself incapable, and seemingly the enemy, comes crashing into both of their lives. This novella is about giving passion free reign and second chances to make it all right.
Three the Hard Way has passion, steam, and storyline. Even if you haven't followed the ACRO series you can enjoy this one. Of course, the selfish part of me wishes it was full length and we could have had more details and depth about the three of them and their relationship, complete with all the struggles. Ian, Tag and Justice are all charming characters in their own way that attach the reader to them instantly. The pain and passion is tangible and you catch yourself cheering them on even if in black & white they probably shouldn't be in the beginning. Overall, either a great addition to the well written ACRO series or a fun and naughty quick read for someone who's never heard of the series. 



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Wednesday, January 14, 2015

Hell On Wheels

Hell on Wheels (Bluewater Bay #3)  
 
Nash is the reliable one in the Holly family, the guy everyone counts on to keep things going. His genius twin brother is off at university, so Nash runs the family’s auto repair business and cares for his partially-paralyzed little sister while his crackpot father invents. His life seems mapped out for the foreseeable future, however much that might chafe.
So when Wolf’s Landing actor Spencer Kepler-Constantine lands in his life, Nash is ready for a diversion. Spencer is in the middle of a very painful, very public divorce and isn’t ready for a relationship—not that Nash wants one. But they both need a friend, especially one with benefits.
As they grow closer, Nash starts to see his family in a whole new light. Do they really need him so badly? Or does he simply need to be needed? Then Spencer’s ex reappears with a grand romantic gesture, and Nash has to figure out what he wants—and how to get it—before Spencer’s gone for good. 

Review


****Riptide Publishing, courtesy of NetGalley, provided me with courtesy copy of this book for an honest review*
Nash is content in life, at least that's what he tells himself. He runs his family's garage and spends his free time taking care of the same family. Sure, sometimes he dreams of a busier social life, or a love life that doesn't end the same night, but with a wheelchair bound sister, a twin brother away at college, and a father who has his hands full with wacky inventions and the same sister, he's needed here in Bluewater Bay. So when the show Wolf's Landing is filming in town and he runs into one of the actors, Spencer Kepler-Constantine, he could use the distraction. Spencer's going through his own very public and very complicated divorce so it's not like either of them are looking for anything serious. But when chemistry and fate laugh at both of them and they find themselves more compatible and ready for a future than either of them predicted, how needed is Nash after all?
This was my first venture into the Bluewater Bay Universe. The storyline was very well developed, and even though it was my first venture, I didn't feel lost. The imagery made you taste the salt water in the air and hear the waves crashing, or feeling the frost from the snow on your skin. Nash and Spencer were thoroughly developed as well, along with a menagerie of quirky, fun loving, and/or irritating side characters that helped bring Bluewater Bay to life. Nash was instantly charming with his reality dosed life and his charisma. Spencer had moments where the stiff upper lip upbringing he mentioned bled through the pages, but overall he was as endearing as Nash in his own way. The first three quarters of the book felt planned out and thorough, the last quarter felt a little rushed but not in a "ruin the book" or even "drop a star" kind of way. This title has definitely brought the Bluewater Bay Universe onto my radar. 


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Friday, January 9, 2015

Warlord

 Amazon Goodreads 
 Warlord (Anathema #1)
 1/2
  The only thing more dangerous than the Anathema MC is the club’s president.
Trapped.
For twenty-one years, Rose Darnell’s family dedicated their lives to the Anathema MC. For twenty-one years, she’s searched for a way out.
Bound to a world of bloodied knuckles and drug money, Rose believes her musical talent will rescue her from an abusive father and overbearing brothers. A chance audition and promising gig would free Rose from the outlaw 1%, but her brothers won’t let her escape the club’s shadow.
A rival chapter threatens Rose, and only Anathema’s president, Thorne Radek, can protect her.
Betrayed.
A traitor lurks within Anathema’s brotherhood, and Thorne will burn the world to scorch the rat. When an innocent diva with baby-bunny eyes and dark secrets needs his help, Thorne offers his protection and is rewarded with the ultimate bait. He may be the only man to distract Rose from her music, but helping him find the traitor will damn more than the club.
It will tear her family apart. 


Review
****Tika Lake Publishing, via NetGalley, provided me with a complimentary advanced read copy of this book for an honest review *
Darnell. A name that strikes respect among the 1% . Rose views it as a curse given to her by a man that's behind bars. Her brothers cherish it, wield it like another weapon in their arsenal. Then again, Rose never wanted to be part of the Anathema MC. With patched in officers as brothers, she can't leave it all behind soon enough. Even though she's not an active part of that life, it follows her everywhere. Her music. Her music is what gets her through the days and the heartbreak, what will hopefully pull her through the other side where all of it is a bad memory and she's doing what she loves. That is, until she makes a decision that unknowingly puts her on the radar of people who long to spill the blood connected with her last name. What's better to get their hands on than the innocent younger sister of two of the highest members? Thorne Radek, Anathema's president, won't let that happen. He also has ulterior motives for keeping the gorgeous her safe. He has a traitor in his club and he plans on using Rose to sniff them out. Even if it means betraying her own flesh and blood. She's about to find out the true price of safety.
Warlord is a book worth reading among the explosive MC group. I was sucked in automatically with Thorne and the Darnell family drama. Rose shows her young age at times but in general was a very relatable character that was easy to ride along with. Thorne was rough around the edges sexy with a toe curling growl and a side that only came out to play around Rose. You could easily see him making the transition from gutting his enemy to caring for her behind closed doors. There was nothing stereotypical romantic about him but they meshed perfectly once they got there. The writing was raw and seductive, delivered in a flowing formula that I loved reading. The side characters, family members, mc, and everything else around opened up a world I'd love to go back to. Lana Grayson is a promising new voice in an addictive genre.