Review ~ Combative (Combative,#1) by Jay McLean

Reviewed by Donna ~ 4 stars

"Once upon a time there was a boy who loved a girl, and her laughter was a question he wanted to spend his whole life answering." - Nicole Krauss, The History of Love

Well, well, well, this was a surprise from Jay McLean. I downloaded this book totally blind, I had not even read the blurb and had stayed away as usual from reviews and spoilers. I love going into a book blind, I love knowing absolutely nothing and I am glad I did with this one because it all added to the mystery that surrounds the characters in this book. Throughout reading and especially while the mystery itself was beginning to present itself I found myself reading between the lines, making up my own versions of who these characters were and I was forever questioning…who is good? Who is bad? I also did not realise that this was not a standalone so beware that this story is not complete and you will have loads of unanswered questions at the end.

Kyler was a troubled character and his outlet for his anger was fighting, but the trouble with fighting is that it often lands you in trouble and trouble is what Kyler finds himself in at the beginning of this book. After a bar fight Kyler is looking at jail time and that is one place that he doesn’t want to end up so his friend/ “brother” Jax hands him a lifeline…he has to see a shrink and he has to go undercover.

“And it finally happened.

I broke.

And I cried seventeen years worth of tears.

And it didn’t fucking help.

Not even a little bit.

Not even at all.”

Kyler has just returned from four tours of duty and has obviously seen some bad stuff while in action. But his life has been full of bad stuff and as this book flips from past to present the extent of his past his brought to the forefront, no wonder he is struggling. Kyler was taken in by Jax’s family, hence why these two are more like brothers than best friends and also why Kyler finds himself agreeing to Jax’s demands.

“We spent the entire night playing Halo until the sun started to come up. In that room, in that one night, we became the most unlikely of friends. Not because he was some kid trying to save me, or because I was the kid that needed saving…or the other way around. We became friends because in between the few words spoken, the few laughs we shared, and the few times we lost control of those laughs, we saw each other for what we were; just boys that like to laugh and shoot the shit out of our enemies in an overdramatic video game. I named his character Captain Victory. He laughed and named mine Captain Combative.”

Nate de Luca fronts a fighting ring, but underneath Jax is certain he is into other illegal activities, namely drugs. Drugs have been front and centre in both Jax and Kyler’s past and it is this that lures these two into capturing the men behind the dealing. The idea is for Kyler to join the fighting circuit and infiltrate Nate de Luca that way, trying to unearth the man behind the façade. This obviously has repercussions if it goes wrong, Nate de Luca is not a man to be crossed.

Kyler meets his new neighbour at the mail box where she is frantically rummaging around looking for something (I would love to know what she is waiting for, especially as she spent so much time there! This is just one of many questions I still have). From here a friendship blossoms, but does Kyler need the distraction?

I loved the slow burn with this relationship, friends first and then pushing towards blurring the lines. Both of these two have their secrets and Madison is one intriguing and secretive person. Slowly but surely Kyler opens up to Madison but Madison seems intent on keeping her cards close to her chest. While she comes across as an extremely timid and vulnerable character, there was something about her that sent warning bells ringing in my head.

“And I’m so afraid of everything this kiss makes me feel. Because it is more than just a kiss. It’s a sense of hope, and reason, and promise.”

This book is not the typical Jay McLean read and I know that she was hesitant to even publish it, but she needn’t have worried as she nailed this new genre. The mystery and suspense surrounding the characters draws you into the plot while your romantic side is satiated by the blossoming romance between Madison and Kyler. You have that perfect balance of intrigue and passion.

“People do crazy things when they feel like the clock is ticking too fast, or too slow, or not ticking at all.”

Another thing that I loved about this book was the underlying message with regards to family. Family always plays a huge part in Jay McLean’s books and this one is no different. How Jax and Kyler became brothers was beautiful despite being so tragic. Christine, Jax’s mum was a fantastic character and I loved her dearly. The whole family pulls together when needed and are always there for each other whether you feel you deserve it or not.

“To the edge of destruction.”

Overall this was one intriguing read; while I still have loads of unanswered questions I cannot help but turn this story around in my head. I have so many theories and conspiracies that my brain is truly frazzled and that is testament to Jay McLean’s writing because she has elicited this reaction. A book that you cannot stop thinking about is a book that has been written well. I cannot wait for book 2, I need to know what the hell is going on, who is good, who is bad, how are these people all connected as it seems nothing in this book is black and white, everything is grey. Well done Jay McLean, I have no idea why you were worried; you should give yourself a huge pat on the back.

Buy Links:

Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/1GhyIeN

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/1Jqo2LW

Review ~ A Beautiful Kind of Love (Choices #1) by Ellie Wade

Reviewed by Donna ~ 4.5 stars


“Unfortunately, regret is one persistent bitch.”

First thoughts on this book was, what a beautiful cover, yes it was one of those reads where I one-clicked because the cover caught my eye in the first instance and then I read the blurb and thought, this sounds like my kind of book. But as the saying goes, never judge a book by its cover and that is so true when it comes to reading this. The cover says beautiful, pretty, hearts and flowers love story, but inside…we have angst, lots and lots of angst, we have a beautiful friends to lover’s story, we have a book that made me angry, extremely bloody angry, but I was taken on one amazing journey and I whole heartedly loved this book. It ticked my boxes and now I am anxiously awaiting the next one.

This is one of those books where you cannot say too much without giving too much away, so I am going to have the brief. For me this book was all about the connection, not only the reader connection with the characters but also the connection between Jax and Lil themselves. These two were born a month apart to mothers that were best friends. These two spent every waking moment together and built a friendship bond that was so strong it was unbreakable. It was the friendship that we all wanted, that person who was your person. No matter the time or place you knew they would always be there for you and these two were just like that. Each other came first and foremost, they had each others back, and they truly were soul mates.

“…loving Jax has never been a choice, but it’s always been a privilege.”

Whenever you have a friendship such as this where we have one male and one female you always have the inkling that as they get older and hormones get involved that those lines of friendship are going to get blurry and I take my hat off to these two because they lasted a long time as “friends.” It was only a matter of time though before Jax and Lil saw what everyone else did and when those lines do start to blur, was when I started to panic, I knew the angst would begin. These two were so perfectly suited to each other, they were fantastic together, and I loved them so much. I was championing them from the start and even though I could see the peaks and troughs coming I whole heartedly thought that these two would be strong enough to get through anything.

“our entire life has been perfect. We have had eighteen years of foreplay. I don’t need candles or flowers. I need you. Take me to bed and make me yours in the only way that I’m not.”

Long distance relationships are hard at the best of times but these two communicated daily, they were always at the end of the phone but when Lil decides she wants the college experience too and moves away, this is where we get more troughs than peaks and I read on with my heart in my mouth, my nerves frayed, my nails bitten and with fear and trepidation.

“I feel like I’m walking on a tightrope toward my destiny, and if I slip or make one wrong move, I will fall, and I’ll never reach my fated destination. Since I believe that Jax is waiting for me at the end of that tightrope, the risks of falling aren’t ones I’m willing to take…”

This is one tough ride and kudos to Ellie Wade because I was hooked; I could not put this book down. At times I was infuriated and so damn angry but that is testament to this authors writing because she evoked every single emotion out of me during this read. I liked, I loved, I laughed, I cried, tears of sadness, tears of laughter and tears of sheer frustration and anger but I knew that I had been on one incredible journey.

“You see, every action has a reaction, and that reaction has another, and so on and on. Therefore, once that action is put out into the universe, we have no control over the infinite amount of reactions that might occur, forever changing the future.”

With any relationships, mistakes will be made, but when you have a love like this you always hope that the good will outweigh the bad and somehow things will all be ok at the end. This book did rip my heart out in all the best ways, the tears flowed, the tissues were abundant and I now I am anxiously awaiting the next book. Imagine my pleasure when I saw it was due for release this week. It has been put back a week so now I have a few days to wait…just a few more long days…did I say long…I need to know what happens!!

Buy Links:

Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/1FJZ9rP

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/1cpbU09

Birthday Presents ~ Happy Birthday Staci Hart & Giveaway

 

Today is Staci Hart's birthday and with our new Birthday feature comes gifts and reviews. Donna came across Staci Hart by pure accident as one does, but it was these covers that Donna died for and made her download that first book. This was a serial read and it was highly addictive, full of suspense, romance and Parkour all rolled into one fantastic read.

 

Giveaway:

 

To win the Hardcore series for kindle all you have to do is post on Staci Hart's page saying Happy Birthday and mention The Romance Cover. Staci's page: https://www.facebook.com/stacihartnovels?fref=ts
 

 

Our Review:

 

Hardcore Series by Staci Hart
Hardcore Volume 1 ~ 4.5 stars
Hardcore Volume 2 ~ 4 stars
Hardcore Volume 3 ~ 4 stars


“Don’t run from me. Run with me.”

From the moment I started reading Volume 1 I fell in love with this series and once you start reading you really begin to understand just how damn perfect the covers are. I have never come across a book about Parkour or base running as it is known and the way the author describes the activity was absolutely breath taking. I felt the thrill of the run and with the added vivid descriptions and imagery your heart couldn’t help but thump, thump, thump.

By day Cory is a bike messenger, but this is more as a smoke screen because by night she is part of a team of thieves who target electrical stores. These thieves are like no other, they have their MO down a pat and by using Parkour as a means of escape are virtually undetectable and cannot be followed.

Cory was a beautiful character inside and out despite her nocturnal activities. Cory had been running all her life, never feeling loved or fitting in at home, just merely surviving until she was old enough to get out. She always felt like a mistake and her parents made sure she knew it. Cory had nothing to live for until her sister was born and then she became everything. Determined not to let her sister live the life that she had Cory does what she does so that her sister can have the life she didn’t. Cory pays for everything for her sister including her education, hence the activities that she currently finds herself doing.

“What are you running from? My answer: Everything.”

One night while running from their latest heist the crew are all being chased by another gang of Parkours, Cory is really good but the guy on her tail is even better. He eventually runs her down thoroughly impressed by how far and for how long she managed to evade him. With the adrenaline running high these two have one hell of a “on top of a building scene,” seriously hot!! But one time will never be enough and once their paths cross again, neither will be able to look back.

“His body was a silhouette against the lights of the buildings that stretched up around us. He was a god or a superhero, something out of a myth or legend, too good to be true. Too good to be mine.”

Van Collins is a professional photographer and has used his love of Parkour to get some out of this world shots that have elevated him to super stardom, insanely rich, he cannot believe that he has found the perfect woman. Someone that gets him, someone that loves Parkour as much as he does, someone that is just as good at it too and someone that he shares some intense chemistry with.

Knowing the company that Cory keeps you know that the fact he is insanely rich is going to cause problems and when Cory is blackmailed to betray him, huge choices and sacrifices are made.

“You don’t know anything, Van. If you did, you’d never want me. That’s the honest truth.”

I loved the plot of this story, all the characters had their place and reason for being and all played a massive part in this tale. As I said above the way the Parkour is described has you salivating and if I wasn’t my age or build it is something I wouldn’t mind trying…well actually being afraid of heights probably not, but if I didn’t have a fear of heights this is something I would definitely want to do. Seeing a city from a totally different angle than anyone else, the peace and quiet, the burn of the chase, the adrenaline rush all these factors so vividly described that I lived this series.

The romance side between Cory and Van had me swooning, neither character had really opened themselves up to love before and you could really feel their chemistry. From that first scene, you knew what they shared was powerful and I couldn’t help but champion these two along. Just a note Cory was bi before she met Van and there is one small F/F scene in the first book.

“…how I feel about you, how you feel about yourself. I wanted you to fill that space on my wall. In my heart. In my life.”

You certainly find out who your friends are the hard way and this is no different for Cory, I loved the way that the good ones stuck together and helped each other out when times got bad. This is a book about friendships and family, betrayal, forgiveness, second chances and living life to the max. This book is also about love, how when you find “the one” you know and will do anything and everything to make it happen even if your heart rules over your head.

“You’re good, Cory. Even when you’re bad.”

This was my first Staci Hart read and it certainly won’t be last. Cannot wait to read what else this author has written. If this serial is anything to go by, I am in for a treat.


Buy Links:

Hardcore Vol 1:

Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/1xb4mbt
Amazon US: http://amzn.to/1BQ8ttr

Hardcore Vol 2:

Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/1GR05cZ
Amazon US: http://amzn.to/1wVdbpu

Hardcore Vol 3: 

Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/1AAvzjL
Amazon US: http://amzn.to/1AAwrok

 

Friday Frights ~ PNR Review ~ Wickedest Witch by Eve Langlais

Reviewed by Shirley ~ 4.5 stars

This is one very sexy, erotic book. Where two very strong headed people get thrown together after a disastrous first meet in the local bar. Although, it did not stop either of them from noticing each other and feeling quite lustful, yay!

The first in this unlikely twosome is Evangeline, who is the granddaughter to the very famous Rasputin, and who carries the family name with pride, and who lives up to it to the full. If ever anyone crosses Evangeline, watch out, because she didn't earn the name, the wickedest witch for nothing, her anger is formidable and the magic starts flying with disastrous results for the other person.

The other person is Ryker, a cat shifter, whose reputation goes before him as one who could certainly look after himself. With a very muscular body and rugged good looks he was a sight for sore eyes, but these two had one thing in common, they both worked using threats and intimidation, a match made in heaven, so some would say.

Evangeline owned her own business called Wicked Incorporated, and she took all sorts of jobs which was how, when talking to her latest employer, she was very surprised when in walked Ryker, the overbearing man from the night before, and even more amazed when her employer told her they were to work together on this latest job. And when they came face to face it was instant lust.

This story tells you about the growing erotic attraction between these two. With the dreams they were getting at night and the very hot chemistry during the day that these two shared when in each other’s company it makes their working together quite explosive.

Ryker was given a very big surprise soon after meeting Evangeline which made him all the more determined to get his little witch, and Evangeline, although she wouldn't admit it she was very attracted to Ryker even though she was for ever throwing insults at him.


“Mother would have a kitten if she found out I was dating a shifter. Then again, I don't really want to date him, just have wild, raunchy sex with him.”


This was going to be one annoying, frustrating but oh so hot arrangement working together. Needless to say the relationship that these two had was very hot and it does have its funny moments, but when they did get together they really got together.


“That's it, little witch. Take it. Take all of me." And she did, thrusting back against, inviting him to go deeper, harder. Holy fuck, it was heaven.”


And then it happened

 “Oops.”


This is a roller coaster ride of a story, with outside influences trying to make things difficult for these two. It is a very enjoyable read and have the ice ready to cool you down when reading it. Great work Ms Langlais.

Buy Links:

 Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/1RtVnrQ
Amazon US: http://amzn.to/1eCn6IG

Release Day Blitz, Excerpt & Giveaway ~ Afraid to Fly (Fearless, #2) by SL Jennings

 

Book Description:

I’d like to tell you that I’m ok.

That the meaningless sex with countless women has somehow numbed the pain. That it’s deciphered the constant confusion in my head. Eased the self-hatred that sinks into my gut every time I look in the mirror.

I’d like to tell you that time heals all wounds.

That we evolve and grow into well-adjusted, stable adults, set on a path to right the world’s wrongs. That we are not our past…we are not our pain.

I want to tell you all those things. Hell, I want to believe all those things. But I’d be lying. I’m good at that. Living a lie is the only way I truly know how to survive.

But the day I saw her, I stopped surviving. I stopped existing. And for the first time in 24 years, I started living.

She brought me back to life. Set me free and sent my soul soaring. Made this useless shell of a man feel like…something. Something whole and real and good.

She saved me.

Although she believes I wasn’t even worth saving.

This story chronicles the journey of Dominic Trevino, a character from Fear of Falling. However, it can be read as a standalone.

 

Add it to Goodreads: http://bit.ly/1Fi3Nuy

 

 

Excerpt:

 

I approached her slowly, letting my eyes take in her soft, feminine curves. That’s what I loved the most about women—their softness, their delicateness. It made them appear breakable, just like me. And it made me appreciate that vulnerability, in hopes that someone could—and would—one day, appreciate mine.

That’s why even though I never offered more than a few hours of toe-curling pleasure, I assured each second was spent tending to their sexual desires and making them feel treasured. Just because I was a whore, it didn’t make me callous or uncaring. If anything, it made me more aware of my humanity.

I pushed it all away, trading my own hang-ups and idiosyncrasies for the mental numbness that sex could provide and did what I do best: Fuck. I was good at this part—touching, kissing, licking. And when we were both ready—too ravenous with desire to consider my aversions—I drove into her slowly, all the way to the hilt. Until her body completely covered mine and soothed the ache of loneliness with wet warmth. This was the feeling I had been chasing since I was just a child, barely a man. That sweet oblivion that only mindless sex could provide. I was made whole by emptying myself into another, and for the barest of moments, I became separate from my pain and anger. I became the type of man that could look himself in the mirror and not see the horror of his past standing behind him, its razor sharp claws cutting into the skin of his shoulders while it smiled in that sinister way that still made my skin crawl.

I had seen that malevolence in my dreams every day since as long as I could remember. Sometimes it was in the form of a smile, a laugh. Sometimes it wore the face of ecstasy and passion. But it was always terrifying.

I lay in bed, staring up at the ceiling long after Alyssa had passed out in blissful exhaustion. She came twice, once by my tongue, the other with her ankles on my shoulders. She was a screamer, and I kept wondering if Angel would bust in here, wondering if I was fucking or killing the girl. Then, if Alyssa was up for it, she’d join, like she had just this past weekend with Cherri. It wasn’t that we wanted each other in that way—oh hell no. We were just better…together. It made it even easier to get out of our heads and lost in the movement of our bodies.

It was co-dependent like a motherfucker. And unhealthy. And unconventional. But it was all we knew.

 

Buy Links:

 

Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/1FNE15f

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/1F94Agy

iBooks: http://apple.co/1JVbPPH...

Barnes & Noble: http://bit.ly/AfraidToFly_BN

Kobo: http://bit.ly/AfraidToFly_Kobo

 

Fear of Falling (Book 1) - Buy Links:

 

Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/1JWwTVZ

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/1FEKuxS

 Barnes & Noble: http://bit.ly/1LpE7Qt
iBooks: http://apple.co/1dqOrgx
Kobo: http://bit.ly/1LwdjPd

 

About the Author:

 

S.L. Jennings is a New York Times & USA Today bestselling author of contemporary and paranormal romance, reality TV junkie, obsessive coffee drinker and collector of crazy.

Stalk Her: Website | Facebook | Twitter |Goodreads

Giveaway:

 $25 Amazon Gift Card



a Rafflecopter giveaway

Share Link: http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/share-code/MDk5NjRmMDM5ZDM4YTBjYWM0YzAyYzM0NGI2ODRhOjY4MA==/?

Release Day Blitz, Excerpt, Review & Giveaway ~ Conviction (The Consolation Duet, #2) by Corinne Michaels

Book Description:

I fell in love with Liam only to be left shattered into a million pieces. Again. The idea of being without him cripples me but the reality is, he’s gone.

He doesn’t understand and I can’t make him.

If only he’d see the conviction behind my words—then Liam would still be here.

Add it to Goodreads: http://bit.ly/1J0oeT8

Excerpt:

Time isn’t something I ever thought much about.

It ebbs and flows, but it never changes. I can’t make it stop—no matter how much I want to. There’s no way to rewind the clock or halt it. In this moment, all I want is to make the world stop and go back to when I was happy and ready to tackle the world. Just two short minutes ago, there was no worry about how my day would go. I was going away with the man I love, the one who healed me. But time isn’t my friend. It slaps me in the face and laughs as I stand here wondering how the hell any of this is happening. I don’t want to move forward, and I sure as hell don’t want to slow it down.

Our Review:

Reviewed by Donna ~ 4 stars

**ARC received for an honest review**

“Life is cruel. Love is a joke. And not even death is final.”

Conviction is another great read from Corinne Michaels. After the ending of Consolation I was on high alert for a lot of emotion and a lot of angst and Corinne Michaels delivered on both counts. While this was not as emotional as Consolation, this book was more a journey, a journey for all three of them.

The one thing I loved the most in this book was Natalie’s CONVICTION, this woman knew what she wanted and didn’t waver, she had her wobbles but right from the onset she knew who she wanted and she stuck to her guns. While the “other man” tried his best to get her to change her mind, Natalie was a force to be reckoned with and out of everybody in this book; it amazed me that she was the strong one. The men crumbled, Natalie remained strong and resilient, she was the cement, now she just needed her brick.

“You have no idea how strong you are.”

The fact that this was not the drawn out “will she, won’t she” book that most probably all of us anticipated was refreshing. After a while that to and fro, back and forth can be soul crushing and I was glad that this was not prevalent in this book. As I said above, this book is a journey, still a long one, there was a lot of soul searching to be done by all parties and this was captured brilliantly within these pages.

“He knows that was the end of any chance he had. He just lost me. Completely.”

The growth in Natalie’s character was amazing, as I said above the change in her from Consolation was dramatic, in Consolation she was destroyed but we slowly saw Liam put her back together again, the emotional scars were still there, but she living and glad to be alive. In Conviction her strength was unparalleled, she was the driving force in this book, she called the shots, you couldn’t help but stand back and admire her, after everything that she had been through, she was still standing and she was standing tall and proud.

“Ignorance is a beautiful place sometimes, but I don’t plan to live there anymore.”

As much as I would love to go into my thoughts and opinions of the men involved in this book, to do that would be a huge disservice to those that haven’t read this book yet. Even the smallest of opinions would still be a spoiler so I am going to refrain. I think that after the end of Consolation we all had our favourite, I know I did. I wasn’t at all disappointed, I totally understood and I loved the way that Corinne Michaels delivered this to us, the readers.

This was one great love story, I have cried, I have grieved, I have loved, I have had those emotional lows and then some amazing emotional highs throughout this series, this is testament to Corinne’s writing because she really delivered a well thought out, emotional, gripping read. I was totally invested in this story, I had been itching for Conviction’s release and was so glad that we didn’t have too long to wait, another plus side to this duet.

“…because if this plays out poorly, it’ll be my heart that never beats again.”

I am a sucker for military romances too and you can tell that the author has first hand experience of what it is like to be the one left behind. I love that we get to see this side of a soldier’s life. We are always hyper aware of what or how a soldier thinks and it is refreshing to see the other side. I was trying to look for an appropriate quote but I found an even better one instead “Behind every strong soldier, there is an even stronger woman who stands behind him, supports him, ad loves him with all her heart.” This is what this series shouts from the pages, these women are strong.

“Military wives aren’t strong because they want to be. They have to be.”

Although Consolation and Conviction are a duet, I highly recommend if you haven’t read the Beloved series yet that you read that too. Although this duet is Liam’s, Jackson and the crew all appear throughout and I personally think that you would get a better understanding of the dynamic between these characters. I understand that Mark is up next and I cannot wait to see what Corinne has in store for us with him. He is quite the enigma and I am sure that we are going to be surprised when his surfaces are scratched.

I have loved this series with a passion, true romances with a good ole dose of angst, with great underlying messages throughout. For all us romance junkies this is one series you will fall in love with, I cannot recommend them highly enough.

Buy Links:

Conviction (book 2)

Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/1FOeZCU

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/1Q9DKuE

iBooks:  http://apple.co/1FNklAo

Barnes & Noble:  http://bit.ly/1Lus8kLKobo ➙ http://bit.ly/1AnCzGz

Consolation (Book 1)

Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/1H1gi2L

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/1wZI6AX

iBooks: http://bit.ly/16nXT0k

Barnes & Noble: http://bit.ly/1E9Krf4

Kobo: http://bit.ly/1GHHL6G

Book Trailer: https://youtu.be/FErL5y4_OhQ

Playlist: http://spoti.fi/1cd3DfH

About the Author:

Corinne Michaels is an emotional, witty, sarcastic, and fun loving mom of two beautiful children. She’s happily married to the man of her dreams and is a former Navy wife. After spending months away from her husband while he was deployed, reading and writing was her escape from the loneliness.

Both her maternal and paternal grandmothers were librarians, which only intensified her love of reading. After years of writing short stories, she couldn’t ignore the call to finish her debut novel, Beloved. Her alpha Navy SEALs are broken, beautiful, and will steal your heart.

Contact Corinne

Website: http://www.corinnemichaels.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CorinneMichaels
Instagram: http://instagram.com/authorcorinnemichaels
Twitter: https://twitter.com/AuthorCMichaels
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7753662

Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/corinnemichaels/

Giveaway:

$100 Amazon Gift Card

  a Rafflecopter giveaway 

Share Link: http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/share-code/MDk5NjRmMDM5ZDM4YTBjYWM0YzAyYzM0NGI2ODRhOjY4MQ==/?

Birthday Presents ~ Happy Birthday RL Griffin & Giveaway

We were trying to think of something different that we could do for an author on their birthday...so for every author that we have reviewed, when their birthday pops up on our calendar we will do a little feature, highlighting their books and our reviews. It's our birthday present to them. First up is the author RL Griffin who is celebrating her birthday today, so without further ado...

Donna first stumbled across RL Griffin while trawling Amazon for something to read, a little known book had just been released called By A Thread, she downloaded it and the rest is history. Now, six books and one novella later Donna is still addicted to the books that RL Griffin puts out. From the writing style to the characters and now the diversity, this author certainly knows how to deliver, whether it be romantic suspense, dark contemporary and now romantic comedy, is there anything she cannot write?

Giveaway:

All you have to do is say Happy Birthday to RL Griffin, just post a comment on her wall and say Happy Birthday from The Romance Cover - 5 winners will be chosen and you can pick an RL Griffin Amazon Kindle Copy of your choice - you can always comment on our Facebook post to say that you have done it.

By A Thread Series ~ Romantic Suspense

By A Thread ~ Book 1

Book Description:

Stella's future was set, and it was a bright one. She was engaged to a man she adored, and was headed to law school in the fall. Tragically, her perfectly planned future ends just as it was beginning.

With no ties to family or friends, Stella finds herself alone in a new city, spiraling out of control. Her typical day comes to a close with her passed out on the floor; sometimes clothed.

Luckily, her new roommate, essentially a stranger, is dead set on getting Stella past her grief and back to functioning within society. Putting one foot in front of the other, she climbs up from the bottom of a bottle. Even with all her progress, Stella walks through life unfeeling, numb. Defiant, she sends out warning signals for the world to keep away. But, is that what she really wants?

With the steadfast help of a few tight knit friends, she gradually begins to feel again. She starts to savor the flavor of food again; lets herself notice how the handsome bartender glances at her. Still, after allowing herself a fling, she wonders if she will ever be able to let go of her shattered past, fully enjoy the present, or get over what she thought would be her perfect future and with the man who destroyed her heart.

Our Review ~ By A Thread Review

Buy Links:

Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/1FIahGg

Amazon US:  http://amzn.to/1FcKaEi

Tension ~ Book 2

Book Description:

The Stella who emerges from the rubble of the bombing in Montana is a woman full of conflict. She knows she should be grateful that she lived when others didn't, but after waking in the hospital as a celebrity, complete with a new moniker, she's bitter and distrustful, questioning everything in her life. She's unsure of her friends, her new boyfriend, and her job. In addition, a face from the past reappears and threatens to take the one good thing in her life.

Stella attempts to deal with the new scrutiny of her life with her usual sense of humor, but she's filled with a new emotion that she tries desperately to hide: HATE. Her recovery is hastened by her determination to find the man who turned her into a walking scar. She's going to kill him; she needs to kill him.

Stella isn't alone. She has her close friends and her dog, Cooper. Will their support be enough to help Stella accomplish her plan, or will this endeavor be her undoing?

This book is intended for mature audiences due to strong language and sexual content.

Our Review ~ Tension Review

Buy Links:

Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/1cfBo01

Amazon US:  http://amzn.to/1SzJ66s

Seamless ~ Book 3

Book Description:

Professional, successful, survivor Stella has mastered the art of appearances and conquering what life throws at her. Time after time, she chooses to fight even though she's consistently poised to break. It's that fight to get her life back, to make things right, to survive that defines who she is. She's been loved, left, lost, blown up, shot, and exploited. Physically, she's almost completely put back together. Mentally, Stella's one step from a vindictive retaliation that may or may not be her best choice.

In Seamless, Stella has no choice but to step into the ring with someone who she once loved. It's a dirty fight that will take all she has. Will she do what it takes to win? Will she make it out alive?

You'll cheer her on until you realize all is not what it seems. Appearances can be deceiving.

Our Review ~ Seamless Review

Buy Links:

Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/1LBBMlw

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/1FcM0VM

Book 3.5 Mending (Novella)

Mending: A short story that covers what happens from the jaw dropping ending of Seamless to the Epilogue.

Buy Links:

Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/1KwFH67

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/1duhoIK

Heart In Wire ~ Book 4

Book Description:

A by a Thread Companion Novel

This book has spoilers in it if you haven't read the By A Thread series yet, you may not want to read the synopsis. This is a companion book to that series and I highly suggest reading it first.

Have you ever been involved in an epic love story where you wound up alone? Have you devoted yourself so completely to someone that you lost yourself in their abyss?

Patrick Greer spent the past five years revolving around El. He fought like hell to not feel the emotions for her that were hidden deep in his gut, until he couldn't anymore. He was so sure of them, of her, of what they were to each other, until he wasn't.

Patrick couldn't even imagine the things he'd done for her, with her and to her. El broke him.

He was a liar, a friend, a lover, a fixer, a runner and a killer.

Now he had to figure out who he was without her.

*There are adult situations, tons of cussing and you may enjoy this book with an adult beverage.

Our Review ~ Heart In Wire Review

Buy Links:

Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/1cXshBT

Amazon US:  http://amzn.to/1Q7Yy5T

Razorblade Kisses ~ Dark Contemporary

Book Description:

Her name is Emery Shaw...Emily Sanders...Emma Simpson...Ericka Smith.
Her family was well off, she ran.

They looked for her, she hid.
They found her, she ran again.
Tragedy strikes, she gets even.

The fact is, she doesn’t know who she is, she tried to run, to hide and make a life for herself, but that backfired. No one knows her except her best friend Rachel, if that’s even an adequate word for what they are to each other. Rachel helps her build a life for herself below the radar, which is fine until the unthinkable happens knocking Em out of her unfeeling cocoon. When her house of cards comes tumbling down she runs again, until the one person who can change her mind finds her.

Due to adult situations, language and possible scenarios that may be difficult for some readers to handle, take a breath before you start this one. It’s gritty and not pretty. Nothing is pretty here. Whiskey is a good thing.

Our Review ~ Razorblade Kisses Review

Buy Links:

Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/1FJDw9z

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/1J1EH84

Sunshine & Whiskey ~ Romantic Comedy

Book Description:

Sometimes the best things in life come from the unexpected. So if you lower your expectations, then you’ll never be disappointed. Sound cheesy? It is, but it's also true. Clichés come from a grain of truth…like a man with a Porsche is compensating for something, or once a cheater always a cheater—you get the idea. Sorry, I digress. I'm supposed to be telling you what this book is about.

I'm Megan Walker, a lawyer at one of the hottest boutique law firms in Atlanta. I'm on the fast track to making partner and have my entire life planned out...or I did.
We all know how that goes, right? Best laid plans and all that.
Life just threw me a couple curveballs, so I've set out to take things into my own hands. By throwing caution to the wind and getting out of my A-type personality bubble, I'm learning more about myself than I have in my twenty-seven years.
Sound like a chick flick, doesn't it?
It’s not.

Our Review ~ Sunshine & Whiskey Review

Buy Links:

Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/1EjlEWY

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/1yKxreO

Review ~ Pucked by Helena Hunting

Reviewed by Donna ~ 3.5 stars


“No one has ever so much as grazed my Hole That Shall Not Be Penetrated.”

This is one of those books that I term “Marmite,” meaning you are either going to love it or hate it. I am not sure if this is the way the author intended but I found myself reading this tongue in cheek, it was funny, it was incredibly cheesy and extremely over the top but despite that I had one hell of a laugh. Yes there is a worrisome fixation with genitalia, namely beavers and monster cocks, yes the character development is not fantastic, yes there is a lack of depth, but no matter, it was hilariously

funny. I had plenty of laughs, even more eye rolls but I thoroughly enjoyed it and after the books I had just read it was extremely well received.

“Does everyone in Canada call pussies beavers? Like the Brits call them fannies?”

This book firmly goes with the age old saying opposites attract. We have Violet who is an accountant and Alex who is a hockey player. Violet is young but is trying to carve out her place in the world. Her brother, Buck, is a NHL hockey player too so she is always surrounded by hockey, but she wanted to be Violet, not Bucks sister, she wanted to be respected in her own right and make a name for herself. By being so closely connected to hockey and having been burned in the past, she knows their manwhore notoriety and has vowed never to go near one ever again.

“On your knees, motherpucker.”

Violets mum drags her to one of Bucks games and it is here that she meets Alex. Alex Waters was hotness personified, not only was he drop dead gorgeous, he was charming, yet cocky, he had the typical “player” reputation, he was the captain of the team, but underneath all that you could tell that Alex was more. He was a literary genius underneath that playboy exterior and had a heart of gold. He was totally adorable and of course that rep, was totally unfounded. He let people think what they wanted, what they expected, but he knew who he was and not many others did.

“I love that he’s hard on the outside and a total marshmallow on the inside.”

Violet was a quirky character and what you saw is what you got, her unfiltered mouth had me in hysterics and she was a character that you couldn’t help but like and love. It is this sassy mouth that first catches Alex’s attention and while Violet is quite set on just one night, after all one night couldn’t hurt…it soon becomes apparent that one night is not enough for Alex and so the wooing begins.

“It’s been a long time since anyone has given me face-to-pussy resuscitation. I don’t remember it being anything close to this incredible.”

Violet doesn’t really stand a chance with Alex, when Alex woos he woos hard, he was a man on a mission and Violet really had no choice on the matter. Even the ice princess was cracking and it was warming to see their relationship blossom. With famous hockey players comes the inevitable press and paparazzi and with the reputation that Alex has you always knew that this wasn’t going to be an easy ride for either of them.

“I’m so glad you fought for me. You’re the best chance I’ve taken.”

Yes the dialogue is cheesy, yes there is copious amounts of sex, yes it is dirty, but most of all it was entertaining and funny. If you can get past those points then you will no doubt enjoy this book. As I said in the beginning, I read it as tongue in cheek and enjoyed the humour with which is written. It was a refreshing read and one that I enjoyed. This was my first read by Helena Hunting but I am sure it won’t be my last.

Buy Links:

Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/1dEGAfp

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/1OQG92b

Review ~ My Time in the Affair by Stylo Fantome

Reviewed by Donna ~ 4.5 stars


“Worse than falling in love. Worse than hating someone. Falling out of love was much, much harder.”

I have to admit that this was my first read by this author and I can honestly say it won’t be my last. I loved everything about this book, from the characters, the settings, to the plot and the style of writing. This book was so different from the norm and I personally found it so relatable. Yes, this is a book about a person that cheats, but unfortunately cheating is real to life and it does happen, but really,

cheating is not what this book is about, it is so much deeper than that. This book is about taking stock of your life, reflection and having the guts to do something about it. While the character in this book may not go about it the right way, sometimes you never know when you are going to meet “The One” and more often than not it happens when you least expect it.

“When something feels so good, you find a way to convince yourself that it’s okay.”

As you can gather from the blurb Mischa had all intentions of having a one night stand. Even though it is not an excuse, her husband had been distant, both day to day and in the bedroom, she felt unwanted and unloved. Mischa just wanted to “feel” something even if it was for just one night. However, what Mischa did not anticipate, was finding “The One.” That intentional “One Night Stand” became so much more.

“It would’ve been depressing, if his tongue hadn’t felt so good, if his fingers hadn’t felt so amazing. They erased everything. Her past, her future, her present. Gone, with one thrust. All that existed was this man, this room, this bed.”

Even though what Mischa was doing was wrong you couldn’t help but get whisked away in her story and I found myself rooting for her on all levels. Every woman wants to feel desired, to feel wanted, feel cherished and loved and that was all she ever wanted. She was a beautiful woman and she just wanted to feel that way. Both her and her husband had become complacent and when she found herself looking back it was easy to pinpoint. She soon realises that although she loves her husband, she loves him like the best friend they have always been. They are just no longer “in love.” Staying together just made sense, it was routine, it was easy, it was safe and…it was life.

“I was drunk on him. High on him. I wanted to swallow him down, inhale him, inject him. I wanted him to live under my skin and change my DNA. I wanted to live in his air and breathe his passion.”

Tal, was definitely 100% all male, he was cocky, confident and had that aura around him of mystery and intrigue. Although at times I found myself questioning his motives, as the story progresses you soon see that actually, this is the real deal for him too. But with mystery and intrigue there are usually secrets and considering the place that Mischa is in at the moment, secrets can only lead to trouble.

“They have a word especially for people like me…”
“And what word is that?”
“Lover.”

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, along with the tale of romance and passion you have that interwoven with mystery and intrigue so this book pulls you in from all angles. While my heart was being whisked away with their tale of love and passionate encounters my brain was constantly working, reading between the lines and trying to work out just what was going on right in front of me. This for me was one of those un-put-down-able reads; from the first till last page I was totally immersed in the story that Stylo Fantome was unleashing on the pages. It was intense, it was beautiful, it was heart breaking, it was hot, it was romantic, and it was just so good and totally captivating.

“You made me come alive, and I didn’t even know I was dead. I was just some guy, before you. You made me a man.”

Buy Links:

Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/1HDcVQi

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/1cUOfoU

Review ~ Beneath the Stain by Amy Lane

Reviewed by Donna ~ 5 stars

“You can’t be the whole album, Trav. You just can’t. But you can be the best songs.”

Beneath the Stain was originally released as a seven part serial and now this amazing story is bundled up in a 500+ page book of pure exquisiteness. While this book is an M/M I have to say that side of the story kind of paled into the background, the beautiful writing and the hauntingly beautiful story was so compelling that you couldn’t help but be 100% emotionally invested in this story. Amy Lane pulls you in hook, line and sinker and once you turn the first page be prepared, the next twelve or so hours are going to be an emotional blur.

This is the story of Mackey, his brothers and their friends, a bunch of misfits who all had different dads yet their mother worked her fingers to the bone to give them a roof over their head and food on the table. While they didn’t have much, they made the best of what they had and to Mackey specifically, music was his escape. He channelled his energy and anger into music, it was his salvation. While he may have been the youngest, he was the most talented, his lyrics, his music were perfection and the brothers just went a long for the ride.

“Man, watching that kid turn those bozos into a band is one of the joys of my fucking existence.”

Outbreak Monkey gave Mackey his outlet, it brought this band of brothers together and after forging ahead playing in bars it wasn’t long before they were discovered. Herein the real journey begins for all of them, choices have to be made, there are repercussions but this is what they have been aiming for, their ticket out of hell, now it was time to grab it with both hands.

“To realize that rich wasn’t just the way you spent money, it was the way you think.”

Amy Lane’s writing was perfection; vivid imagery coupled with heart felt dialogue enabled you to take these characters into your hearts and heads. You undertook this journey with them, the journey of life and their journey of love. The way this story was delivered was like a film and you are watching the big screen, these boys that are already so under your skin that they feel like family are there before your eyes, living their lives and living their dreams.

Mackey was a beautiful character, he was far from perfect, but he had that allure about him that just made you love him. He was sensitive, confused, and super talented but he had this front he put on, his mask, and boy did he wear it well on stage. My heart ached for Mackey at times, he always loved hard, and he gave himself completely and unconditionally. This tiny, scrawny man may have been small in stature but he had the biggest heart and it was pure twenty four carat gold. He wore it on his sleeve, proud for all to see, he was imperfectly perfect and Trav would ultimately be the man that made Mackey fly.

“Trav thought of the song - his song - and the cry from the invisible boy who slept in forgotten corners and lived to make people love him or hate him or anything so long as they didn’t forget his name.”

This story predominantly revolves around Mackey, he is gay and where they are from it is frowned upon but out in the spotlight, he can be who wants to be and after making the decision to come out after much soul searching and near self destruction, Mackey becomes free. It is like the bird that has been freed from its cage, those first movements are tentative, but then watch as the bird soars and Mackey soars.

“Trav moved, and Mackey’s body became light and Trav’s body became sound and together they were the thing Mackey worshipped most. Music.”

Travis was such an amazing character, ex-military and now tasked with the job of keeping Outbreak Monkey alive, out of trouble and gets them where they should be. Travis couldn’t have been anymore opposite to Mackey. Trav was openly gay and hadn’t hidden the fact. He could see the turmoil that Mackey was going through. He saw Mackey at his lowest but he was determined to see him at his best. Trav was extremely loyal and had a heart of gold. Not only does this book concentrate on his relationship with Mackey but how he was really the foundation for the band as a whole. The friendships that are forged throughout this book gave you hope, not only was Trav their manager, but he was first and foremost their friend, their confidante, he was their rock and became so instrumental in their lives.

“It’s hard loving people that bright, that shiny, that they make everyone else in the world look dim.”

Despite the ups and downs this was an incredibly uplifting story, while the journey was fraught with heart break, it was a lesson in growing up, lessons in life and love. Every scene played its part, every word had a purpose and yes it was emotional, but it was raw, it was real and it was life. I have to applaud Amy Lane on delivering such an evocative story. This is one story that will still in my heart for a very long time. These characters have embedded themselves into my heart and soul and I was proud to have gone on this journey with them. Sometimes a book is more than just a book, and this is one of those instances.

“It’s a beautiful day…”

I urge everyone to read this book and even if you are not an M/M reader, this would be the perfect book to break your M/M virginity. This is what an M/M read should be, it’s not about the action between the sheets (although it is there), it is about the journey, the voyage, the self discovery, and the emotions. It is a story of life and this author nailed it.

Buy Links:

Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/1Q2GWZe

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/1cb8NsO

Friday Frights ~ PNR Review ~ Isis' Betrayal (Rowan Sisters' Trilogy, Book 2) by Trim & Julka

Reviewed by Shirley ~ 4.5 stars
**ARC received for honest review**

 

Isis' Betrayal is due for release on 29th May 2015

This is the second book in this delightful trilogy. It lets you into the quirky world of the witches, the Rowan Sisters. It is sexy, steamy and erotic. It tells you of the meeting between Isis, the middle sister of these three witches and Braeden, a Cambion, who is sex personified, as to be able to live he has to have sex, lots and lots of sex and being one very sexy handsome dude it certainly helps.

Isis is the fiery one out of the sisters, with a temper that hits the charts and she has the long red hair that goes with it. Isis is also one very sensual woman. So when these two met at the club Confetti Too and started talking it was instant lust and at the end of the evening Isis was very shocked that Braeden walked away from her and left on his own leaving her very bewildered as she knew he was into her as much as she was into him.

This story will tell you of the obstacles that these two fated people have to face before they can finally be together but during this time the very strong attraction could not be denied and with one of their dates sex was definitely on the agenda. As always it burnt strong and hot every time they came in contact with each other.

"What are you doing to me?" she asked.

"Goddess," he uttered, about to lose his seed to her ministrations. "If you have to ask, I must not be doing it right. My da would be so ashamed, he raised me better." He laid her back on the blanket and followed her down.

Their lovemaking was so hot and erotic. Braeden couldn't understand how a female could make him feel so connected, and then he understood.

Braeden was so torn, he had a very big secret that he was unable to tell Isis and it was eating him up. Isis knew that something was wrong with Braeden; she was feeling it from their budding connection which was growing between them and wondered why he couldn't tell her.

The story reveals this secret and the evil behind it, but with the ever loving sisters behind him he could fight it and win.

The love these sisters have for each other shines through and shows that love makes you strong and you can face anything.

Love these two authors writing. Love the humour, and the sex scenes are very sensual and erotic making for a very hot read. Well done Brenda and Tami, great book.

Pre-Order Links:

 

Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/1AjjANp
Amazon US: http://amzn.to/1AjjMvR

 

Review ~ Gus (Bright Side, #2) by Kim Holden

Reviewed by Donna ~ 5 stars
**ARC received for an honest review**


“Grief. Anger. Grief. Anger. Grief...Anger.”

After you have read something as perfect as Bright Side you are always going to be nervous reading the sequel, I mean, how can something so perfect ever be matched or even topped? Well, I needn’t have worried at all. As soon as GUS landed on my kindle I was all in from the first to last word. Kim Holden does Gus proud in this book and she has given us a story that was honest, real, emotional, intense and so heart-breakingly genuine that you just fell in love with these characters all over again. Kim Holden has once again touched my heart, I felt it all, the grief, the desolation, the turn around, that eureka moment and all the happy that follows. This book was perfectly balanced and I was so thankful that it rang true to life, losing someone that you are extremely close too is not something that you get over easily and it was never brushed aside, it was raw, but it was perfect.

Gus as you could imagine really struggles in the beginning and this is where I felt Kim Holden really hit her stride. As I said above, I felt his pain, I felt his emotions, and I felt his devastation. Gus really struggles to find himself. Bright Side was his other half, his soul mate, how could someone possibly go on when one half of them is missing? I have to say I was really worried about Gus, I knew that this was going to hit him hard, but to see how vulnerable and broken he was, was soul crushing at times. I always knew that he would have to hit rock bottom before he could start his painful clamour to the surface and the way this book was written made that journey all the more honest, genuine and unequivocally believable.

“Bright Side wasn’t only my best friend; she was like my other half...the other half of my brain, the other half of my conscience, the other half of my sense of humour, the other half of my creativity, the other half of my heart. How do you go back to doing what you did before, when half of you is gone forever.”

Gus in the beginning was a shell of the man that we loved and knew, he couldn’t write, he couldn’t play, he just existed and even then that was up for debate at times. I wanted him to watch the DVD, I wanted him to see what and who he had become, Bright Side wouldn’t have wanted this, he needed to know, he needed to be told but he just wouldn’t listen. He needed to work through his pain and even Bright Side herself had anticipated it, it just went to show how bone deep their connection was, it was beautiful. Stunningly beautiful.

“I don’t know to be Gus without her, dude. I’m fucking lost as shit.”

We finally get that little sliver of light in the form of Scout, I am not going to say too much about Scout but she was the wake-up call that Gus needed. He made her life hell, but she gave back as good as she got. The journey that these two went on was honest and real, no insta love, not even instant friendship but none the less a beautiful, sometimes hilarious read that will have your emotions all over the place. In the beginning these two were by no means perfect together, but they worked, they worked well, they were just what each other needed, they were there for each other, the right place at the right time. The way Kim Holden develops their relationship before your eyes was inspiring, that character connection resonates deep within and once again we have another character that you cannot help but love.

“He doesn’t live life, he feels it. I’ve seen it. I’ve seen grief strangle him. And I’ve seen happiness make him glow with a brightness so intense it’s almost blinding. That’s what makes him so special. It’s not his talent or his looks. It’s how much he feels.”

Once again though Bright Side is not forgotten, this book was a celebration of her life, how life became after Bright Side but no-one would ever forget, forever at the forefront of people’s thoughts and memories and forever uttering or thinking “what would Bright Side do”? Every time she was mentioned the tears came, I just couldn’t help it and my thoughts would wander back to that orange book that decimated me last year.

It was great to catch up with all the characters, no-body was forgotten in this book, while this book is predominantly all about Gus, Gus’s journey would never be complete without his friends and they are all there as one big happy family, even Keller. This is what I loved, Kim Holden brought them all together, they were a unit, they may have lost the anchor that held them tethered together but those friendships were for life and life means life.

This was one emotional journey, but it was a necessary evil, the good far outweighs the bad and the journey that Kim Holden takes you on to get there was well worth the tears and the tissues. You have to sit back and salute Kim Holden, the woman is a genius, Bright Side was EPIC, Gus was EPIC, this author is just EPIC. This woman knows how to nail character connection; she brings these people to life. She knows how to nail emotions, she makes me cry even when not intended but most of all you live and breathe it all and that is what I love in a book. I want it to be an experience and this is one experience I will never ever forget. I totally and utterly loved Bright Side but I can honestly say I loved Gus just as much.

“Not good things...but epic things. And I’ve fallen in love with epic. It’s the only way to live.”

Amazing job Kim Holden, you should be so proud, not only did you do Gus Hawthorne justice but us the reader too. You gave us a raw, emotional, yet uplifting story that will have mended many hearts. But I can’t reiterate enough how much I respect the honesty in this book, it made it for me. It was real, it was believable, dude...it was EPIC.

Buy Links:
Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/1EYzOXF
Amazon US: http://amzn.to/1K2CYxQ

Review ~ Shuttergirl by CD Reiss

Reviewed by Donna ~ 4 stars

“Months of longing, years of forgetting, and a few days of reawakening were culminating now.”

I am a sucker for second chance romances and while the first time they never really got off the ground the connection was there. The first time the romance was blossoming, the friendship developed but circumstances had other ideas. Fast forward ten years and their paths would cross again.

“She was a vortex. I’d avoided getting swallowed up in her once, and now, more than ever, I needed to avoid it again.”

 Michael Greydon was Hollywood’s Golden Boy, the son of two actors; it was in his blood, his genes. While it may not have been his first career choice it was the one he ended up with and he was damn good at it. He lived his life by what was expected. He was good, he was punctual, he never bent the rules and never exploited his fame, he was the perfect actor and everyone was vying for his talents.

Laine Cartwright was a girl born on the wrong side of the tracks, coming from a broken family and going through the foster system so many times it was like a revolving door of parents my heart physically ached for her. Laine though was made of strong stuff, she was a survivor, she had made the best of the bad hand that she had been dealt and while it was tough to get to there, she was at the top of her field. She was a paparazza, also known as “Shuttergirl.” Laine was confident, resilient, independent but she had her insecurities. She craved acceptance, craved belonging and just wanted to be loved. But when you haven’t been loved your whole life it is hard to accept that you are worthy and at times those insecurities floated to the surface.

Ten years before. Sitting in the bleachers reading her books, she thought that she had found someone, someone who could love her and someone that she could love back, but alas, fate had other ideas. Watching Michael Greydon practice his tennis had been a daily date, he made the first move, he got her talking, but then he went, he left, just like everyone else.

“And it had all started with Michael Greydon’s fingers in mine. He did have an effect on me. That son of a bitch. He let me hope. He let me think I’d be something I wasn’t.”

 An actor and a pap together was unheard of, it is taboo, the paps are the scum of the earth, never the twain shall meet, but Michael couldn’t help himself. He was enamoured with her then and he still was. He never saw the camera, he saw the woman behind the camera and one day he would have the courage to make his move. Taking the bull by the horns, today was the day.

“I didn’t want normal. I wanted real. And my God, Laine was real.”

 Michael was a good guy, but at times I just felt he needed a bit more of a backbone. Don’t get me wrong, he really changes, but at times, his own securities and the advice of others got the better of him. He let his head rule his heart; he lost her once, would he lose her again? Michael was fiercely protective and that was an endearing character trait, he really stepped up when needed and that resonated deep with me. For him the feelings he was having were a first and at times it was hard for him to compute just exactly what he was going through but I thought he had gotten the memo. He was loyal and strong and had a great circle of friends but he had his own family issues and the pressure was all on him.

 “So...You became a photographer.”
“I became your worst nightmare.”

 I thoroughly enjoyed this book; it was an easy cute read that kept me page turning. While this is CD Reiss’ first foray into contemporary romance I thought she nailed it. As I have come to expect the writing was fantastic, it was fluid, captivating and poetic. So many paragraphs I highlighted just because the words were beautiful and the meaning behind them so profound. Her way with words, no matter the scenario always captivates me and brings me whole heartedly into the story.

“I OWN THIS CITY. I walk with its rhythms, run with its breath, speak its language. Los Angeles is my lover. It knows I’m a survivor. It knows what I’ve done and has found no reason to forgive me, because there has never been a sin.”

 My only niggle with regards to this story was the ending. While it was Hollywood, I personally felt it wasn’t enough and ended all too soon. As this was a standalone I would have loved an epilogue. Once I have these characters under my skin I never want to let them go and I wasn’t ready for their story to end, I just wanted that little bit more.

 “You’re Calamity Laine.”

 Once again, a great read from CD Reiss and I cannot wait to read what she pens next.

 

Buy Links:

Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/1A7ZHbN
Amazon US: http://amzn.to/1GhqjrG

Review ~ The Excess Series ~ Opulence, Reverence and Hindrance by Angelica Chase

Reviewed by Donna

Series rating ~ 4 stars

**ARC received for an honest review**

The Excess Series by Angelica Chase
Book 1 – Opulence
Book 2 – Reverence
Book 3 – Hindrance

“I fed his need for dominance; he fed my inner whore.”

 

Each part of this serial is just over one hundred pages long and all three instalments are out so the story is complete.

Nina was a divorcee and entrepreneur. Since Nina shot to riches with her invention she had always struggled to fit in no matter how hard she tried. The women from the clubs the societies had always given her a hard time and despite trying to buy friendships Nina had never felt more alone. The only real friend Nina had was her financial advisor Devin McIntyre. Their relationship though had gone from purely friendship to an all-out love affair. However Nina always felt that he was holding back and once she finally finds out why she quickly dumps him...well maybe after a few last couplings for good measure.



 “I was an ambitious, determined, wealthy woman with a strong, insatiable sexual appetite who needed to take control of her life. And so I did. And you know what I found out? It was way harder to be weak.”

 

Nina decides to just be Nina, just be normal and it is while drowning her sorrows in a bar that she meets Aiden. Nina was so conflicted, she desperately wanted to fit in, she wanted friends and she wanted to be loved. She thought that she had that with Devin. She found it hard to forget him, she thought that what they had was real, she had fallen in love and was sure that he had too.

When Nina crosses paths with Aiden he is singing in a bar. She becomes lost in the music and lost in the man that had totally captivated her. Aiden called to Nina...they had a connection and you knew that if they ran with it, it would be explosive. Having just come out of a relationship, would Nina go with the flow, would let she let her heart rule or her head.

 “I’d left the door open for him in invitation, but I walked through it alone.”

Nina and Aiden together were hot and I mean page combusting hot. Angelica Chase can certainly write a mean sex scene. While sex with Devin had been fast, furious, kinky and fantastic, Aiden gave her the best of both worlds, the sweet and caring making love and the kinky no holds barred exhibitionism that she came to find she loved and thrived on. Nina is conflicted though, she is stuck, in two minds...stuck between the man of her past and the man of her present. What to do, what to do.

“If this man was my knight, I had no doubt he was hiding the dark horse he rode in on.”

 I went through a plethora of emotions while reading this; I went from loving Devin, to hating him, to feeling sorry for him and back and forth and back and forth. You never knew where this story was going and what a tale the author wove. I only picked this book up initially to get a feel and schedule it, but I ended up reading all three instalments in one sitting, that was how addictive this story became.

 “She makes me whole. You only wanted me for half.”

 I found myself loving and hating both men, both had their plus sides and both had their bad. Seemingly the saying never judge a book by its cover certainly applies with these two men. Both men were chameleons in their own way. You never knew whose skin they were going to appear in. Throughout reading I was trying to piece together the little snippets that I managed to read between the lines but nothing could have prepared me for the tangled web that these three wove.

 This series was compelling, extremely addictive and totally intriguing. While you will no doubt have your favourite throughout this story just hold those thoughts until the end, everything you think you know...forget it. Angelica Chase has penned an extremely clever story that had me totally flabbergasted. The highs and lows, the push and pull, combined with some wit and some intensely heated sex scenes leaves you with a perfectly balanced read that will keep those pages turning frantically till the end.

 “You are ready and able to do beautiful things in this world and you’ll only really ever have two choices: love or fear. Choose love. And don’t ever let fear turn you against your playful heart.” – Jim Carrey

 I thoroughly enjoyed this serial and while this is my first read by Angelica Chase it certainly won’t be my last.

 Buy Links:

 Opulence – Book 1

Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/1FlM1sL
Amazon US: http://amzn.to/1JWQzql

 Reverence – Book 2

Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/1Gm2LSA
Amazon US: http://amzn.to/1IO6dG0

 Hindrance – Book 3

Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/1S6uA6f
Amazon US: http://amzn.to/1EURXpj