Dirty Alphas: A Reverse Harem Urban Fantasy Romance by Alexa B. James and Angelina Avery

~ Jolie ~ Leave a comment
Dirty Alphas: A Reverse Harem Urban Fantasy Romance

4 Stars

Publisher:

Date of publication: December 14th, 2018

Genre: Romance, Fantasy, Paranormal

Where you can find Dirty Alphas: Amazon

Goodreads synopsis:

Know what’s worse than being forced to marry your depraved, sadistic alpha? 
Hiding his corpse. 

Ten years after storms and seismic disasters ravaged the world, only one major forest remains intact in the United States, and my werewolf pack is responsible for keeping Heartland Forest for the wolves. Jacob Knight may have been a terrible alpha, but he kept the fae, vampires, and man-eating trolls from taking over Heartland. Day by day, they close in on us. 

For two years, I’ve gotten away with murder, and it hasn’t been easy. I live a lie, and it’s eating me up inside. It’s a price I must pay to keep my secrets buried and my pack safe. 

But nothing stays buried for long in Heartland Forest. 

When Jacob’s three alpha brothers ride their motorcycles into town, claiming they want to rent a room in the apartment building I manage, I know they’re here for more than low rent and creaky pipes. 

Do I have what it takes to take on three dirty alphas?

My review:

Its been a while since I have read a good menage book. And I haven’t read a good reverse harem book ever. So when I was approached to read and review Dirty Alphas, I decided to take a chance. I am glad because this book was a good read. Almost a little too bloody for my taste (in romance…other books, I’m fine).

I felt bad for Scarlet. She was forced to marry her Alpha, Jacob Knight. Then she kills him (which I didn’t feel bad for her for doing. He deserved it). What I did feel bad for was that she had to hide that she, herself, was an Alpha. In order for her to do that, she had to give her father power and let him be Alpha. I do wish that more insight was given about how she gave her father power. It was mentioned a couple of times but not much insight was given about it.

What I also liked is that Scarlet had a normal family. Her mother was a freaking hoot. I was cracking up laughing at her scenes. Her father was the opposite. I liked him too. Her sister, I couldn’t stand. What she did to Scarlet was unforgivable in my eyes.

Let’s talk about the Knight triplets. There wasn’t a lot of background given about them. That they were Jacob’s younger triplet brothers. They were given a heads up about his death but decided to leave the pack alone. I understood their decision to go back but thought it was 4 years too late.

I loved how the authors built up sexual tension. The tension between Scarlet and Mack was insane!! It came off the pages. I mean, that dance that they did for the kids set the book on fire….and it was an innocent one. Great sexual tension meant one hell of a sex scene. I had to fan myself. It was that good.

What I also liked is that the authors chose to only have two sex scenes in the book. Like I mentioned above, the first one blew me out of the water. And it was also a typical menage sex scene. I did wince when Aaron joined Mack and Scarlet in bed. For a virgin to allow backdoor access, I was surprised. The second sex scene, with Darrel, was the sweet, heartfelt one.

The main plotline was great. The lengths that Scarlet’s family went through to protect her was amazing. Like I mentioned above, I wish that more information was given about how she shared energy with her father and how that masked her being alpha. I loved how the author resolved that plotline. It was perfect.

The plotline with the brothers coming back was interesting. I wasn’t sure of how their coming back was going to affect Scarlet. I felt that their plotline didn’t move until Scarlet got attacked. Then it got going.

The plotline with the man-eating werewolf was interesting. I was surprised at who it ended up being. And how that werewolf was defeated was fantastic.

Like I mentioned above, there is a lot of violence in Dirty Alphas. The violence could get a little graphic. While I wasn’t turned off by it, some people might be.

I was a little confused by the end of Dirty Alphas. What confused me? Lance. I am not going to say anything more than that. Also, is there going to be another book? Because I got a feeling by how the book ended that there is going to be one by the way this book ended.

I would give Dirty Alphas an Adult rating. There is explicit sex. There is violence. There is language. There are triggers. They would be forced marriage and violence against women. I would recommend that no one under the age of 21 read this book.

I would reread Dirty Alphas. I would also recommend this book to family and friends.

I would like to thank the publisher and the authors for allowing me to read and review Dirty Alphas.

All opinions stated in this review of Dirty Alphas are mine.

**I chose to leave this review after reading an advance reader copy**

The House of Fire and Rain (Firemountain Chronicles: Book 2) by Victoria Lynn Osbourne

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The House of Fire and Rain (Firemountain Chronicles, #2)

4 Stars

Publisher: Azure Spider Publications

Date of publication: November 15th, 2018

Genre: Paranormal, Mystery, Thriller

Series: Firemountain Chronicles

Whispers in the Woods—book 1 (review here)

The House of Fire and Rain—Book 2

Where you can find The House of Fire and Rain: Amazon | Barnes and Noble

Amazon synopsis:

Dave Dobrowski is a detective in Firemountain. Things haven’t been the same in Firemountain since Dinah Steele took down Gleebelix. Now illegal prostitutes are dying in droves. Yet the legal brothel, The House of Fire and Rain, on tribal land is immune to a curse that is killing not only working girls but their clients. Dave and his alchemical partner Jolene Anderson, race to discover why legal girls are protected why illegals are dying and discover there is more than just morality at stake.

My review

Prostitutes and their customers are dying in Firemountain. But the girls who work at The House of Fire and Rain are immune. Dave, a detective, is put on the case to discover what is exactly causing the deaths. When it is discovered that a curse is responsible, Dave must figure out why the “illegal” girls are being targeted. As the curse goes worldwide, Dave and Jolene are racing against the clock. Can they discover who or what is behind the curse? 

 When I was approached by Victoria to review The House of Fire and Rain, I immediately jumped on it. Not because I had reviewed Whispers in the Woods. It was the blurb. It caught my attention. I wanted to know why the girls at The House of Fire and Rain were immune to the curse. I wanted to know what Dave and Jolene were going to find out about the curse. So, yes, I was thrilled to be reading this book.

I liked Jolene. I thought that her backstory was heartbreaking. Unfortunately, it is only too common. But, Jolene overcame her past. She was going to school to be an alchemist and had a job that she loved. I was surprised at her connection to The House of Fire and Rain. When it was revealed what she did for her second job, I had to stop and process it. I also liked how the author worked that into the plotline. 

I didn’t know what to think about Dave. I was apathetic towards him at the beginning of the book. My initial observation was that he was weary of everything that was going on in Firemountain. But, as the book went on, my apathy towards him lessened. I actually felt bad for him, at one point in the book. I also thought that he had good instincts when it came to Lucas Dawnstar. My heart broke for him at the end of the book.

The main storyline of the book started off shortly after Dinah defeated Gleebelix in book 1. The author wasted no time in getting the plotline going. The plotline stayed fast until the middle of the book.  The plot did falter when the curse was cured but the author did a great job at getting it back on track. 

The secondary storylines were wonderfully written. They added depth to the plotline. They also gave me more background on what was going on.

I liked that the author chose to highlight what and how people view sex workers. She made some valid point about how society treats them. She also made a very valid point for legalizing prostitution.  I will say that the cleansing camps that sprung up reminded me of the concentration camps in WW2. I got shudders while reading those scenes.

I will say that I was amused by the inclusion of Kirk Cameron in the plotline. I got a couple of good giggles out of it. Actually, I didn’t put two and two together until Dave mentioned it while watching him on TV. It was light a lightbulb went off over my head…haha.

I wasn’t expecting what happened at the end of the book. I was shocked by what Jezebel did. It went against everything that I thought about her. My heart broke for Dave. For a minute there, I thought that he was going to be happy. I hope that what happen fuels his need to find out what is going on. 

The author did a fantastic job of wrapping up plotlines. She also left some plotlines open. The very end of the book made me go “Hmmm”. I can’t wait to read book 3!!!

I gave The House of Fire and Rain a 4-star rating. This was a fast moving book. It had complex characters that I connected with. I did have an issue with the plotline lagging halfway through the book. But the author did a great job picking the plotline back up again. 

I would give The House of Fire and Rain an Adult rating. There are sex and sexual situation. There is violence. There is language. There are triggers. They would be sexual abuse and rape. I would recommend that no one under the age of 21 read this book

I would reread The House of Fire and Rain. I would also reccomend this book to family and friends.

I would like to thank the author for allowing me to read and review The House of Fire and Rain.

All opinions stated in this review of The House of Fire and Rain are mine.

**I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book**

Have you read Keep Her Close?

Love it? 

Hate it?

Meh about it?

Let me know!!!

Keep Her Close by Erik Therme

~ Jolie ~ 6 Comments
Keep Her Close

3 Stars

Publisher: Bookoutre

Date of publication: December 5th, 2018

Genre: Mystery, Thriller

Where you can find Keep Her Close: Amazon | Barnes and Noble

Goodreads synopsis:

Someone took your daughter. And nobody believes you …

Then:
Three-year-old Ally was found alone in a parking lot. 
She was barefoot and dressed only in a yellow sundress. In the middle of winter. 
What kind of person would abandon their daughter? 

Now:
Fifteen years later and Ally has a new family. 
But her real father has sent her a letter. 
And now Ally is missing.

A gripping twist-filled thriller that will have you looking over your shoulder. Perfect for fans of Gone Girl, The Girl on the Train and Teresa Driscoll.

My review:

Ally was found in a parking lot of a mall at 3 years old. With her was a sign that said “Free to good home” and nearby was the body of a woman who had committed suicide. Ally was adopted shortly later by the couple who found her. 15 years later, Ally is 18 years old. She receives a letter from a man claiming to be her biological father. Against her father’s wishes, she goes to meet with him. Only to disappear. Now her parents are frantically searching for her. Where is Ally? 

I have reviewed for Erik Therme before and I generally like his book. So when he emailed me and asked me to review Keep Her Close, I said: “Why not“. Usually, his book are solid and a good read. Then I read Keep Her Close and came out disappointed.

The book started off well enough and it was focused until Ally disappeared. At that point, the book started going off on tangents that made no sense to the original plotline. Like when Cal was tied up at the hotel. Did I need to know who Tucker was? Did I need to know who Gary was? I didn’t need to know the background between Tucker and Gary. It had no bearing to the plot at all. There were a bunch of scenarios like that in the book. It took away from the plotline. If the book had stuck to one main plotline and one or two sub-plotlines, I would have been alright.

I could not connect to any of the characters. Dan’s anger issues made his character unlikable.  Holly seemed co-dependent and useless. Cal gave me stalker vibes. And Nick was scum. Ally got on my nerves.

There were parts of the book I did like. I thought that it was well written. There was a good suspenseful element to the book also. I liked the relationship that Dan, Holly, and Ally had. I also liked the relationship that Cal and Maddie had.  

I didn’t like how the book ended. I don’t like it when books end in cliffhangers. So when the book ended the way it did, I went “Whaaaaat!!!“. I ended up rereading the last few chapters of the book to make sure I didn’t miss anything. Which I didn’t. It frustrated me to read that. I wanted to know what was in that letter!!

I gave Keep Her Close a 3-star rating. I was disappointed in this book. The plotline was all over the place with unneeded tangents. The characters were not likable. And there was a huge cliffhanger ending. There were elements of the book that I did like. I thought it was well written. There was a good suspense element to the book. I also liked the family relationships that were shown.

I would give Keep Her Close an Adult rating. There is no sex. There is violence. There is language. There are trigger warnings. They are child abandonment, kidnapping, the death of a child, stalking and suicide. I would recommend that no one under the age of 21 read this book.

I am on the fence if I would reread Keep Her Close. I am also on the fence if I would reccomend this book to family and friends.

I would like to thank the author and Bookoutre for allowing me to read and review Keep Her Close.

All opinions stated in this review of Keep Her Close are mine.

**I chose to leave this review after reading an advance reader copy**

Have you read Keep Her Close?

Love it? 

Hate it?

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Zero by Jacob Whaler

~ Jolie ~ 3 Comments
Zero (The Fringe Collection Book 1) by [Whaler, Jacob]

5 Stars

Publisher: Self-published

Date of publication: December 2nd, 2018

Genre: Science Fiction

Where you can find Zero: Amazon

Goodreads synopsis:

He won the election. He ended democracy. He built a wall of glass 1,000 meters high. Now, 150 years later, his descendants have infinite wealth and control the Sanctuary, a high-tech paradise for the rich where money equals rank.

She’s from the slum. She has no money or rank. She vows to tear down the wall and end the nightmare.

Her weapon? Zero.

My review:

Alix has spent her entire life in The Fringe. She has spent her entire life looking in at the rich while struggling to survive. With the help of her friends and spurred on by the injustices done to her people, Alix is going to start a revolution. But, the question is, can she pull it off? Or will she become another of President Quinn’s casualties?

Link is the best of the best. He is the youngest Patrol Commander in the history of The Sanctuary. In a society where money equals rank, Link is fast approaching the top. He is dating President Quinn’s daughter. He is happy. That is until Alix arrives with her talk of injustice and suppression. Ordered by President Quinn to find and kill Alix, Link has to go to The Fringe to find her. Will, what he sees and experiences while there change his mind? Or is he still focused on being at the top?

Zero caught my attention when I first saw it. What intrigued me about this book was that I could see it happening. The middle class is fast disappearing. There is a huge gap between the rich and the poor. We are becoming more and more dependent on technology. I had no problem imaging the series of events that went down 150 years earlier actually happening in the world today.

I felt Alix’s frustration at what was going on in The Fringe. She was seeing children dying from a disease that has no cure. She has seen friends damaged from doing time in the brain lab. She has seen the effects of working in the chem labs. She was sick of it and she was going to do something about it. I enjoyed reading her character. I connected with her and rooted for her.

I didn’t like Link at first. He was too focused on his rank and money to be likable. Also, I thought he was almost to gung-ho. But then he met President Quinn and a lightbulb went off. I understood why he was the way he was. For a lack of better words, he drank the Kool-Aid like the rest of the people in The Sanctuary. The talk he had with President Quinn rocked his world. It also made him want to wipe Alix off the face of the Earth. I started to like him when he was in The Fringe and saw what was being done with to the people. He saw the brain labs, the chem plants, the pits of toxic waste. He couldn’t deny it.

The secondary characters made this book. From the Presidents daughter to Merf, they added an extra depth to the book. My favorite character was Merf. He lived in the Mesh and was able to do things with it that no one else was able to do. He made me smile every time he showed up in the book. Plus, he created Zero. Which was pretty awesome unto itself.

Zero is a fast read. What I liked about that is that the author wasted no time in getting the book going. The first chapter is Link being woken up to alarms and Alix making her speech. It didn’t slow down until the last chapter. I loved it!!

President Quinn creeped me out. The more he appeared in the book, the more he creeped me out. He was also unhinged and that became more and more clear as the book went on. Knowing all that, I was still surprised by what he did. And on live TV too!!

The end of the book was fulfilling. Fulfilling isn’t a term that I use much when describing the end of the book. I liked seeing how everything turned out. I liked seeing that Zero was able to do what it was programmed to do. I liked seeing the healing that went on also. It made me happy and I was left with no questions about anything.

I gave Zero a 5-star rating. This is a fast-paced, well-written science fiction book. I was able to connect with the main characters. I got involved with the plotlines. I had nothing to complain about (which is amazing).

I would give Zero an Adult rating. There is language. There is violence. There is no sex. There are no triggers. I would recommend that no one under the age of 21 read this book.

I would reread Zero. I would also recommend this book to family and friends.

I would like to thank the author for allowing me to read and review Zero.

All opinions stated in this review of Zero are mine.

**I chose to leave this review after reading an advance reader copy**

Have you read Zero?

Love it? 

Hate it?

Meh about it?

Let me know!!!

Perfectly Inappropriate by Stacey Kennedy

~ Jolie ~ 1 Comment

Perfectly Inappropriate

4 Stars

Publisher: Random House Publishing Group, Loveswept

Date of publication: November 27th, 2018

Genre: Romance, BDSM, Erotica

Where you can find Perfectly Inappropriate: Amazon | Barnes and Noble

Goodreads synopsis:

A woman scorned and a politician with a wild side connect online—and explore their hottest fantasies in the flesh.

Olivia Watts knows that her problems are painfully average. She got engaged, and her fiancé cheated. She gave up on her dream job—street photographer—and settled on a more practical one: graphic designer. She scrimped and saved to buy a home, only to realize how empty it was. So when Olivia hears about an exclusive dating app that matches subs with highly trained doms, she does something she never thought she’d do in a million years: She signs up. The last thing she expects to find is a man whose sizzling touch reawakens the woman she used to be. . . .

Noah Grant has no time for relationships. His sole purpose is to win reelection. That’s why he pays a premium to the discreet app that satisfies all his dark desires. But after sweet, innocent Olivia is vetted and arrives for their week together in his penthouse, it’s blatantly clear that she’s running from her demons. Noah’s more than willing to be her escape—until their emotions get tangled up in their games. Now, to become worthy of Olivia’s heart, Noah will have to prove that he’s more than a fantasy.

My review:

Olivia is trying to get her life back on track. A couple of months ago, she had walked in on her ex-fiancee in bed with her former best friend. Ever since then, she has felt like she needed to do something more with her life. So, when an opportunity arises for Olivia to expand herself sexually, she takes it. She figures, what is the worse that could happen. What she never expected was to find the one man who makes her body sing. Noah is a NY senator who uses SiR to find women who have the same sexual likes as he does. He doesn’t want a relationship. All he wants is the week or two that his sub gives him. But, when he meets Olivia, he realizes that he could have more with her. Can he convince Olivia that he wants more? Or will she walk out of his life?

I want to discuss the white elephant in the room. The BDSM element of this book. I know that more than a few people will see the words BDSM, “Dom” and Sub” and not read the book. Here’s the thing, this book is NOT about a dom/sub relationship. The story is about a woman who has lost all sense of self and finding it again. And honestly, the BDSM scenes were not that bad. 50 Shades of Grey had worse, more graphic scenes.

I wanted to gut punch Olivia’s ex. He was such a scumbag. Every time Olivia was starting to feel good about herself, he would either make an appearance. He deserved the beat down that Noah gave him. I actually wanted to jump into the book and take part in the beat down. I also couldn’t believe the excuses he gave about why he cheated. He was scum.

I loved Noah and Olivia together. Even from the first meeting, you could tell that there was more than just sex. I liked how honest Olivia was with Noah. I liked how Noah went from wanting just sex to having a relationship with Olivia. I loved how he went about showing that he wanted a relationship for her. That was a huge OMG moment for me. I did get teary eyed (but didn’t cry).

The sexual attraction between Noah and Olivia was there right from the beginning. Sparks flew from that first meeting on. I loved how that sexual attraction was built up. It was built up and up and up until they had some steamy and explosive sex. Then the author went right back to building it up again. I also liked how the BDSM element of the sex was kept low-key. The storyline included it but didn’t make it the primary focus. Which made the book so much better for me to read.

I did feel bad for Olivia while reading. I also knew what she was going through with trying to rediscover herself. I loved how the author made her photography a part of the storyline. I didn’t know what a street photographer was until I read this book. I also liked that she was able to forgive Lacie and Cameron for what they did. It took a while, but she was able to forgive. She was a better woman that I could be. I am more like Paige, her other bestie. I hold a grudge.

I loved Noah. I thought it was awesome that he was able to acknowledge, to himself, that he had feelings for Olivia. That he wanted something more than one week with her. Usually, it’s the other way around. So, yes, very refreshing. I also liked that he was able to talk about why he didn’t want a relationship. I loved that he was able to talk to his mother and get the truth from her. I thought it was awesome. I do wish that the author got more into him being a Senator.

The end of Perfectly Inappropriate was one of the best endings that I have read to date. That OMG moment that I mentioned above. It’s here. If I had any doubts about how Noah felt about Olivia, yeah they were put to rest there. And the epilogue. I had happy tears when I read that. Olivia got the HEA that she deserved and then some. Loved it!!!

I gave Perfectly Inappropriate a 4-star review. I enjoyed reading this book. I connected to both of the main characters. I loved the storyline. There wasn’t anything that I didn’t like that made a huge impact on my review.

I would give Perfectly Inappropriate an Adult rating. There is explicit sex. There is language. There is violence. There are trigger warnings. They would be cheating. I would recommend that no one under the age of 21 read this book.

I would reread Perfectly Inappropriate. I would also recommend this book to family and friends.

I would like to thank Loveswept, Random House Publishing Group, and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review Perfectly Inappropriate.

All opinions in this review of Perfectly Inappropriate are mine.

**I chose to leave this review after reading an advance reader copy**

Have you read Perfectly Inappropriate?

Love it? 

Hate it?

Meh about it?

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The Good, the Bad, and the Duke (The Cavensham Heiresses: Book 4) by Janna MacGregor

~ Jolie ~ 7 Comments

The Good, the Bad, and the Duke (The Cavensham Heiresses #4)

4 Stars

Publisher: St. Martin’s Press, St. Martin’s Paperbacks

Date of publication: November 27th, 2018

Genre: Historical Romance

Series: The Cavensham Heiresses

The Bad Luck Bride—Book 1

The Bride Who Got Lucky—Book 2

The Luck of the Bride—Book 3 (review here)

The Good, the Bad, and the Duke—Book 4

Rogue Most Wanted—Book 5 (expected date of publication: June 25th, 2019

Where you can find The Good, the Bad, and the Duke: Amazon | Barnes and Noble

Goodreads synopsis:

A lady with a noble mission. A duke looking for redemption. A forbidden love that cannot be denied… 

Lady Daphne Hallworth is ready to celebrate the holidays with her family. But when they accidentally leave her home alone, Daphne uses the time to work on her dream—opening a home for unwed mothers. But her quest isn’t problem-free: She’s in a battle to win the property for the home against her brother’s best friend-turned-enemy, Paul Barstowe, Duke of Southart. And that’s not all: someone has stolen her personal diary, which holds secrets that could devastate her family. Daphne has always harbored private feelings for the man her family scorns…though perhaps striking a bargain with the handsome Duke will solve both their problems?

Paul, long considered good for nothing, aims to open a hospital to honor his brother and restore his reputation. So when a conflict over the land brings him straight into Daphne’s life, they make a deal: He will help her find her diary if Daphne can change her family’s opinion of him. But before he can win her family’s affection, he has to win hers first. Maybe love was the answer to their family feud all along?

My review:

Paul is a rogue who is trying to right all the wrongs that he has caused. Mainly the friendships that he threw away. But it wasn’t going to be easy. Those ex-friends detest him. Redemption comes in the form of Lady Daphne Hallworth. Daphne has had her journal stolen. A journal that has her very private thoughts and dreams in it. Paul would move heaven and earth to keep the wrong sort of people from getting a hold of that journal. Will that happen? Will he get the journal back? Will he be able to mend the relationships with his friends? And more importantly, will he be able to keep the happiness that he found with Daphne? Or will he be forced to let that go?

I hated Paul’s father. What he did to Paul when he was alive was awful. He was beaten for any little slight as a child. One beating was so bad that he couldn’t sit down without a pillow for a week. Once Paul’s brother saw what was going on, he stopped it. But he couldn’t stop the emotional abuse. The way that Paul acted in the first couple of books was a direct result of how his father treated him. Even after death, he was still torturing Paul. Those notes (actually the titles of them) were heartbreaking to read. There was an explanation towards the end of the book about why Paul’s father treated him the way he did. It was a weak explanation but it did bring some light about why Paul was abused.

I got shivers reading Paul and Daphne’s scenes together. Even before they kissed, you could tell that they wanted each other. But once they kissed, it was like a fire was set. Those scenes set this book on fire. What I liked is that the author kept the sexual attraction and tension going after they had sex. Every sex scene was on fire. There were a few times I had to put down my Kindle and go “Oh my!!”

What I also liked about this book was that Daphne was the only one for Paul. He could see her across the room and no one else existed. Everything he did after a certain point in the book was for her. I loved it. I loved seeing that it went both ways. I loved seeing them interact like they were the only people in a room. It was romantic.

I did like the storylines in the book. The author did a wonderful job of bringing them together. There were no forgotten plotlines. After the plotlines merged, the flow was flawless. It didn’t get choppy.

I will warn everyone that you will need a Kleenex or two while reading. There are a few scenes where I was moved to tears. The main scene, after Paul reads his father’s final letter, made me a sobbing mess. The other is the scene where he read his brother’s letter. Again, sobbing mess over here.

What I also liked about this book was that the villain in the other books was made into a hero. The author chose to give an explanation to his actions towards Emma and Claire. He was given a chance to redeem himself. I loved it!!

The end of the book made me happy. And the epilogue, I was ecstatic. Out of all the books I have read this year, this one has touched me the most. Paul deserved his HEA with Daphne. With everything he went through, that man deserved every bit of happiness that he could get.

I gave The Good, the Bad, and the Duke a 4-star rating. I enjoyed reading this book. The plotlines were wonderfully written. I came to care for the characters and got emotionally invested in backstories. You will cry during this book, so read with a box, or two, of Kleenex. Any quibble that I had with the book was minor and had no effect on my rating.

I would give The Good, the Bad, and the Duke an Adult rating. There is explicit sex. There is mild violence. There is no language. There are triggers. They are child abuse. I would recommend that no one under the age of 21 read this book.

I would reread The Good, the Bad, and the Duke. I would also recommend this book to family and friends.

I would like to thank St. Martin’s Press, St. Martin’s Paperbacks, and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review The Good, the Bad, and the Duke.

All opinions stated in this review of The Good, the Bad, and the Duke are mine.

**I chose to leave this review after reading an advance reader copy**

Have you read The Good, the Bad, and the Duke?

Love it? 

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Rend (Riven: Book 2) by Roan Parrish

~ Jolie ~ 2 Comments

Rend (Riven, #2)

4 Stars

Publisher: Random House Publishing Group, Loveswept

Date of publication: November 27th, 2018

Genre: Romance, LGBTQIA

Series: Riven

Riven—Book 1 (review here)

Rend—Book 2

Raze—Book 3 (expected publication date: July 2nd, 2019)

Where you can find Rend: Amazon | Barnes and Noble

Goodreads synopsis:

After a whirlwind romance, a man with a painful past learns to trust the musician who makes him believe in happy endings.

Matt Argento knows what it feels like to be alone. After a childhood of abandonment, he never imagined someone might love him—much less someone like Rhys Nyland, who has the voice of an angel, the looks of a god, and the worship of his fans.

Matt and Rhys come from different worlds, but when they meet, their chemistry is incendiary. Their romance is unexpected, intense, and forever—at least, that’s what their vows promise. Suddenly, Matt finds himself living a life he never thought possible: safe and secure in the arms of a man who feels like home. But when Rhys leaves to go on tour for his new album, Matt finds himself haunted by the ghosts of his past.

When Rhys returns, he finds Matt twisted by doubt. But Rhys loves Matt fiercely, and he’ll go to hell and back to triumph over Matt’s fears. After secrets are revealed and desires are confessed, Rhys and Matt must learn to trust each other if they’re going to make it. That means they have to fall in love all over again—and this time, it really will be forever.

Roan Parrish’s pitch-perfect Riven novels can be read together or separately:
RIVEN | REND

My review:

Abandoned as a child, Matt is used to being alone. He has formed no lasting relationships with anyone other than his best friends, Grin and Sid. But that changes when Matt meets Rhys at a bar one night. Looking for a casual hookup, Matt finds himself heads over heels in love with Rhys. Rhys makes him feel safe and secure. Something that was missing when he was a child. But that is soon tested when Rhys, a talented musician, goes on tour. Doubt if Rhys’s will come home takes over Matt’s life. Matt’s life starts to spiral out of control during the last weeks of Rhys’s tour. Which worries friends and Rhys. Matt finally comes clean with his fears and his awful childhood. Can Rhys convince Matt that he is there forever? Can Matt overcome his past? Can Rhys convince Matt that his love is forever?

I was pretty excited to read Rend. I was wondering what the story was behind Matt and Rhys’s relationship. So when I saw that this book was about that, I didn’t even hesitate to request it. I will warn you all. This book gets off to a slow start. It creeps the first couple of chapters. Normally, I would be complaining about slow starts to books. But, in this case, it works. It lays the groundwork for Matt and Rhys’s relationship. It also showed how Matt’s childhood affected him as an adult.

I didn’t exactly like Matt when I started reading the book. Without knowing his background, he came across as needy and insecure. But, as I read the book and as I started to learn more about his background, I realized that he was a damaged person. What clued me in was how he acted when Rhys was on tour. His mental state, which was not great when Rhys was there, disintegrated to the point where he couldn’t even function. When he finally told Rhys about his childhood, my heart broke. It broke for the child he was and the damaged man that he became. What I liked is that the author didn’t have Matt’s issues go away when he told Rhys. Instead, it showed Matt working on getting mentally better with Rhys’s help.

I liked Rhys. He was so devoted to Matt. His confusion over Matt’s breakdown was sad. I do think that he should have pushed for more answers about Matt’s past. Especially since they had known each other for only 2-3 months before getting married. I didn’t agree with his reaction when Matt broke down and told him about his childhood. Leaving was the worst thing that he could have done. I did understand why he left. He needed to get his thoughts in order. I would have done the same thing. The talk that Caleb had with Rhys was blunt but true. Rhys couldn’t save everyone from themselves.

Rhys and Matt had their ups and downs in this book. There were points in the book where I wondered if their relationship was going to make it. It showed that while love is great, it is work. I loved it. It wasn’t showing a happily ever after where everything is fine. Matt had some major issues that needed work. While all was fine at the end of the book, I couldn’t help but wonder if they would stay together.

Of course, the sex was insanely hot in this book. Matt and Rhys didn’t lack sexual attraction or chemistry. Put it this way, I had to fan myself after reading some of those scenes. I will warn that some of the sex scenes are explicit.

I loved that Theo and Caleb were in this book. I was wondering if they were going to be. Theo was just as adorable in Rend as he was in Riven. I loved that he took a liking to Matt and looked out for him. I loved that Caleb was able to talk to Rhys about what was happening with Matt. The advice he gave to Rhys was blunt but true.

The end of the book was a tear-jerker. I won’t say exactly what happened but it was amazing. I felt the love!! Besides making me cry, it did make me smile too.

I gave Rend a 4-star rating. I enjoyed reading this romance. This was a gritty, darker romance that resonated with me. I came to care about the main characters. The plotlines were engaging. I did get irritated with Rhys and Matt during separate parts of the book. But, it was nothing that affected my rating of the book.

I would give Rend an Adult rating. There is explicit sex. There is language. There is violence. There are triggers. They would be an abandonment of a child. I would recommend that no one under the age of 21 read this book.

I would reread Rend. I would also recommend this book to family and friends. I would include a warning about triggers.

I would like to thank Random House Publishing Group, Loveswept, and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review Rend.

All opinions stated in this review of Rend are mine.

**I chose to leave this review after reading an advance reader copy**

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Foam On The Crest Of Waves by Silke Stein

~ Jolie ~ 3 Comments

Foam On The Crest Of Waves

4 Stars

Publisher: Self-published

Date of publication: November 25th, 2018

Genre: Women’s Fiction

Where you can find Foam On The Crest Of Waves: Amazon | Barnes and Noble

Goodreads synopsis:

Can facing the past transform the present?

In a small fishing town on the Mendocino coast, the tides of time have washed over rumors and suspicions, yet the members of a maimed family still struggle to cope with their memories.

A broken woman, refusing to let go of her vanished husband.
Her widowed brother, clinging to the shatters of the life he loved.
His delusional daughter, planning to turn mermaid on her fifteenth birthday.

But when a young man realizes he made a mistake, secrets start emerging from the deep. Will they bring further grief, or possibly redemption?

My review:

Abalone has never recovered from the death of her mother. Becoming selectively mute, Abby communicates with gestures and through her jewelry/artwork. Because she won’t talk, Abby hasn’t let on that she plans on turning into a mermaid on her 15th birthday. She believes that her mother is alive, living with the mermaids and wants Abby to join her. Jeremy is Abby’s father. For the past 7 years, he has been in a fog of grief, only coming out to somewhat deal with Abby’s issues. He is jolted out of his fog by a series of events. He is forced to face that his wife wasn’t who he thought she was. Devastated by the disappearance of her husband, Gina has thrown herself into helping Jeremy and Abby. But, Gina knows a secret. A secret that could devastate Jeremy and Abby if they found out. Lief somehow has gotten himself into abalone smuggling without knowing how. His secret passion singing and he has a voice that rivals professionals. Lief has developed a stalker like interest in Abby after she assaults him. What will happen on Abby’s 15th birthday? Can this family survive the secrets? Or will Abby be lost to the mermaids?

Foam on the Crest of Waves is a very loose retelling of The Little Mermaid. The more accurate description would be a reverse telling of The Little Mermaid. What I liked about this book was that the author ran with the retelling. She took that fable and put her own twist on it. I also liked that she followed the original Hans Christian Andersen tale. She did mention the Disney retelling several times during the book. The mural was a huge homage to it. But the bones of the story was the original story.

There was one point in the book where I had several “WTH” moments. I didn’t understand how Lief’s parents didn’t know what he was up to. Didn’t they want to know where he was getting the extra money from? How did they not know about his amazing voice? He had to of sang when he was younger. Abby was 15, why was she allowed to wander all over the place? At one point in the book, she took a train out-of-town and she spent the night in the woods. Jeremy and Gina didn’t notice that she was gone. That drove me nuts.

The only thing that I didn’t like about the book was how it went back and forth in time. One moment I would be reading about Gina and her struggles post-accident, then I would be reading about her life pre-accident. No warning about the change in time periods. It happened. It drove me absolutely nuts.

The plotline involving Abby was broke my heart. She believed that she would turn into a mermaid on her 15th birthday. I liked how the author chose to have Abby doubt if that was going to happen. I liked how what happened the night that Fern died was leaked. It kept me guessing. But the truth of what happened was a shocked the heck out of me. I wasn’t expecting that.

Lief’s storyline was very well written also. He was so conflicted about what he should do with his life. Abby assaulting him made him think about what he was doing with his life. The scene in the woods was the turning point for him. I was afraid for him, considering what Abby was thinking when they were in the water towards the end of the book.

Jeremy was broken. Fern’s death destroyed him. Abby was the only thing that kept him going. But, as the book went on, it seemed like Fern played fast and loose with him. The news he got about Abby the night Fern died was heartbreaking. I did want to know what the DNA test results were, though. It was never mentioned again.

I did like Gina and felt awful for her. I couldn’t imagine not knowing what happened to my husband for 7 years. And the secret that she carried was soul eating. Do I think that she should have told Jeremy sooner? Yes but then the book wouldn’t have played out the way it did.

The end of the book was amazing. I loved how the author brought all the storylines together. It was perfect. The epilogue was great also. But I did worry about Abby. Her final scene bothered me. It made me think that nothing changed with her.

I gave Foam On The Crest Of Waves a 4-star rating. This book was a wonderful retelling of The Little Mermaid. I connected with each character. The plotlines were all very well written. The only thing I didn’t like was how it went back and forth in time. Other than that, a wonderful book.

I would give Foam On The Crest Of Waves an Adult rating. There is sex but it is not graphic. There is language. There is violence. There are triggers. They would be the death of a parent, death of a spouse, cheating, traumatic accident, and talk of suicide. I would recommend that no one under the age of 21 read this book.

I would reread Foam On The Crest Of Waves. I would also recommend this book to family and friends.

I would like to thank the author and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review Foam On The Crest Of Waves.

All opinions stated in this review of Foam On The Crest Of Waves are mine.

**I chose to leave this review after reading an advance reader copy**

Have you read Foam On The Crest Of Waves?

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What About Us (Panic: Book 4) by Sidney Halston

~ Jolie ~ Leave a comment

What About Us (Panic, #4)

3.5 Stars

Publisher: Random House Publishing Group, Loveswept

Date of publication: November 20th, 2018

Genre: Romance

Series: Panic

Pull Me Close–book 1 (review here)

Make Me Stay–book 2 (review here)

Kiss Me Back–book 3 (review here)

What About Us–book 4

Where you can find What About Us: Amazon | Barnes and Noble

Goodreads synopsis:

Irresistible beats and tantalizing bodies heat up the night at South Beach’s most scandalous new club.

Alex: I hate doing business in clubs. Especially one like Duality. I’m here to seal a deal, not indulge in whatever hedonistic illusion they’re selling. Until, through all the skin and sex on display, I see her. Helen Blackwood. The girl who once filled my youthful fantasies, whose name is now synonymous with pain. Her father’s lies destroyed my family, leaving me with nothing to lose. And yet I can’t deny my electric response to her touch . . . or my urge to protect her when I see the bruise on her face.

Helen: Growing up, life prepared me for society galas and powerful men, not minimum-wage jobs or drunk exes with anger issues. But I’m a survivor. So here I am, practically naked, serving drinks at a Miami nightclub. I don’t mind the stares. Apparently, Alex Archer does. After twelve years, we aren’t exactly friends, but money is something we both understand. Something he knows I need. I’ll be his personal assistant, even if it means working with the man I hate . . . and the man I still want. 

No cheating. No cliffhangers. And no dress code.

Don’t miss Sidney Halston’s Panic series:
PULL ME CLOSE | MAKE ME STAY | KISS ME BACK | WHAT ABOUT US

My review:

Alex is in Duality, trying to close on a business deal. He has no interest in the façade of sex and hedonism that the club offers. He wouldn’t be in the club but his partner is recovering from a car accident. Alex is more than surprised when he sees Helen working. Helen, whose father destroyed his family. Helen, who has galavanted around the world on the money that her father stole from his family. But, if she had that money, why is she working at Duality? Why does she have a bruise on her cheek? And why is she treating him like a long-lost friend? Alex is determined to find out. But, what he finds out goes against everything that he has thought he had known for the past 15 years. Can Alex reconcile what he now knows with what he thought he knew about Helen?

Helen is a survivor. She was forced to grow up when she was 18 and her father was sent to prison. But she got her life back on track. It took hard work but she did it. Lately, life seems to be biting her in the butt. Her drunken, abusive ex-husband has decided to throw her out of the house after he assaulted her. Then she runs into Alex, her first love and old friend, at the club. Alex makes her an offer that she can’t refuse. The more time she spends in his company, the more she starts to care for him. But she is wary. Alex and his family left her high and dry when she needed them the most. Can she trust Alex? Will Helen be able to see the truth of what her father did? Or will it drive an even bigger wedge between her and Alex?

The one thing I loved about this series is that the author made her characters suffer from real life issues. Take Helen for instance. She was homeless for a while when she was a teenager. Later on in her adulthood, she was the victim of domestic violence. Or Alex. He had some pretty bad anger issues. It was how she handled those issues that made me want to read more of the book (and the series).

I wasn’t sure if I liked Alex and Helen as a couple. I felt that she was going from one bad situation to another. He harbored so much anger towards her that I found it hard to believe that it disappeared overnight. Plus, he acted like a jerk to her at her work. In front of her boss and co-workers. Even they were like “Ummm, you sure about this Helen?” He treated her horribly all the way to almost the end of the book.

I didn’t feel the sexual attraction between Alex and Helen at first. I was too involved in with the drama. I did catch glimpses of it. It didn’t smack you in the face but it was there. I couldn’t decide if I liked it or not.

I did like the sex scenes. They packed enough heat to make me fan myself. They were super steamy. Loved them!!!

The end of What About Us was bittersweet. I liked what Alex did for Helen. But it was what Helen did for Alex that made the end of the book. The author did a great job at wrapping up all the plotlines. I do wonder if there is going to be a book 5.

I gave What About Us a 3.5-star rating. I enjoyed reading this book. I liked how the author had her characters suffer from real life issues. It made them more relatable. I also thought that the sex was steamy. But, I didn’t like how Alex treated Helen for 90% of the book. I also didn’t see any sparks between them until after the first time they had sex.

I would give What About Us an Adult rating. There is explicit sex. There is language. There is violence. There are trigger warnings. They are domestic violence and suicide. I would recommend that no one under the age of 21 read this book.

I would reread What About Us. I would also recommend this book to family and friends. But I would include a warning about the triggers.

I would like to thank Random House Publishing Group, Loveswept, and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review What About Us.

All opinions stated in this review of What About Us are mine.

**I chose to leave this review after reading an advance reader copy**

Have you read What About Us?

Love it? 

Hate it?

Meh about it?

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Accidents Happen by Sharon Karaa

~ Jolie ~ 1 Comment

Accidents Happen by [Karaa, Sharon]

4 Stars

Publisher: 

Date of publication: May 5th, 2017

Genre: Romance

Where you can find Accidents Happen: Amazon

Goodreads synopsis:

Tabitha was a true survivor – until she wasn’t. One week before her loveless marriage to a wealthy man, a freak accident causes her soul to trade places with a womanizing lush paying penance for his sins as a soul collector. While she waits for Death to unravel the bureaucratic red-tape and return her to her life, she’s forced to take on Mort’s duties, accompanied by the sexiest but rudest man she’s ever met.

Cooper was a bank manager until his demise, and he’s got a lot of making up to do. He’s determined to be the best damn soul collector heav…he…Death has ever seen. Saddled with babysitting the soul of a selfish, amoral airhead, he’s determined to teach her a lesson.

Can Tabitha convince Death to switch her back before her wedding and her reputation are ruined? Will Cooper make her see the error of her ways? Or will Fate have the last laugh and teach them all a lesson in love?

My review:

Tabitha wasn’t having a good day. Her wedding is within a week and she is running behind on errands. On her way to her next errands, Tabitha witnesses an accident. While checking on one of the victims, Tabitha is crushed by a sign. Confused, Tabitha freaks out when approached by Mort. During her freak out, she pushed Mort into her body. Tabitha is soon summoned to Death’s office. There she finds out that her fate is to be determined by a council. Until that day, she is to work with Cooper. The only thing…Cooper is resentful for babysitting her. Cooper also thinks that Tabitha is a selfish person who is only out to do things for herself. Will Tabitha get her body back in time for her wedding? Will Cooper change his mind about Tabitha?

When I started reading Accidents Happen, I wasn’t in a very good mood. I was desperate for a book that would make me forget the reasons why I was in such a bad mood. I wanted a book that would make me laugh out loud. I prayed that this book was the one to do it. And guess what? It did. By the end of the first chapter, I was giggling and grinning. What I also liked about this book was that there were plenty of sad scenes. The laughter and crying parts of the book were evenly distributed.

I disliked Tabitha at first. She came across as self-centered and spoiled. But as the book went on, she grew on me. I started to realize that how she acted was not how she was as a person. That events in her life shaped her. Like Cooper, I misjudged her. The only thing I didn’t fault her for was her attitude towards her mother. That I could understand. By the end of the book, I loved her. She realized that she had to live the life she wanted instead of the life she thought she wanted.

I thought Cooper was a jerk at the beginning of the book. I understood that he didn’t want to be babysitting Tabitha. But he didn’t have to be cruel to her. He made her collect the souls with Mort’s scythe. Later, it was disclosed that he could have used a taser-like instrument that stunned those souls. He was rude to her too. He jumped to assumptions about her too. I was kind of irritated about that. He thought that she was bad news by the choices she was making in her life. He didn’t bother to get to know her better or even to ask her why she was doing these things. I was surprised when it was revealed why he was collecting souls for Death. That’s when I started to think more of him. I wouldn’t go as far to say that I liked him at the end of the book but I didn’t dislike him.

I loved the storyline with Cooper, Tabitha, and Death. I thought that it was original. I liked that when the souls were collected that they were brought back to meet with their loved ones. I thought it was fascinating that Cooper and the other Collectors existed in Purgatory. Same with the people who worked at the desk. They stayed long enough to work off their sins and then they were reincarnated.

I thought that the storyline with John, Tabitha and John’s secret. I figured out early in the book what John’s secret was and why it was causing him grief. But, I loved seeing the storyline evolve. I can’t much more on the storyline except that I was a little sad for John at the end of the book. It seemed like he lost out on everything.

The storyline involving Mort and Tabitha’s mother was hilarious. I didn’t expect to learn what I did about Tabitha’s mother. But once it was explained, it made sense. I felt awful for her. She had to make a hard choice and if affected her greatly. The bonding that Mort (as Tabitha) stayed. Tabitha’s mother more than made up for the past.

The sexual tension in this book zinged. Oh. My. Lord. Did it zing. Tabitha was attracted to Cooper. I didn’t get a feel for how he felt about her until Silvia’s party. That kiss was scorching. I was hoping for them to have sex to release it. But they didn’t. Which, in hindsight, was a good thing.

The end of the book almost gave me a heart attack. All I have to say is thank God that she picked up on what Mort (I assume) was trying to tell her. I cried at the ending. Sooo, romantic. But it was the epilogue that got me. The author threw in a neat twist that made me go “WTF” as I read it. But it made sense.

I gave Accidents Happen a 4-star rating. I enjoyed reading this book. It was a fast read with characters that I came to care for. The plotlines were interesting and kept my attention. I will admit that I didn’t care for Tabitha and Cooper at first, but they grew on me. The plot twist in the epilogue was worth the wait.

I would give Accidents Happen an Adult rating. There is no sex (there are sexual references/innuendos). There is violence. There is language. There are triggers. They would be suicide and cheating. I would recommend that no one under the age of 21 read this book.

I would reread Accidents Happen. I would also recommend this book to family and friends. I would include a note about the triggers.

I would like to thank Sharon Karaa for allowing me to read and review Accidents Happen.

All opinions stated in this review of Accidents Happen are mine.

**I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book**

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