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Showing posts with label NetGalley Books. Show all posts
Showing posts with label NetGalley Books. Show all posts

Tuesday, February 16, 2016

4 Star Book Review | Hidden Heat by Carla Swafford

HIDDEN HEAT (Brothers of Mayhem #1)
by Carla Swafford
Published: February 16th, 2016
Genres: New Adult, Romance, Contemporary, Suspense, Erotica, MC
Provided by publisher via NetGalley for Review
Purchase: Amazon | B&N | Kobo | iTunes | Google Play
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Sizzling with passion and suspense, perfect for fans of Joanna Wylde and Julie Ann Walker, the Brothers of Mayhem series revs up as a headstrong beauty faces off against an outlaw motorcycle club—and falls for the bad boy she never saw coming.

Cassidy Ryder refuses to be intimidated by anyone, even the hell-raising, hard-drinking Brothers of Mayhem. The daughter of their former president, she’s not above smashing a few heads to keep her teenage brother safe. But when Cassidy’s big mouth gets her in trouble, the only thing that saves her is some quick thinking from the Brothers’ bartender. He’s commanding and strong, and as smooth as the whiskey he pours: the ultimate temptation for a girl who swore she’d never be a biker’s plaything.

But Thorn Savalas is no ordinary biker. He’s a cop, and he’s worked too hard earning the Brothers’ trust to blow his cover over a female—even one who rocks a pair of jeans like Cassidy. The only way to protect her is by claiming she’s his old lady. Trouble is, Thorn can’t just pretend. He wants Cassidy, and every scorching touch tells him she feels the same. But acting on their hottest fantasies could leave them both exposed . . . even if nothing else has ever felt so real.


In Hidden Heat, Cassidy is trying to save her younger brother from the same destructive life their parent's lead in the Brothers of Mayhem MC. Thorn is working undercover to bring down the entire MC and their illegal operation smuggling motorcycle parts. When Cassidy takes it too far and gets on the bad side of  Stonewall, the club's president, Thorn steps in and saves her by claiming her as his old lady. As they begin to trust each other, Thorn lets Cassidy in on the operation by making her his CI. He'll do anything to protect her from Stonewall. Neither of them expected to fall in love along the way.

This book was different from any of the other MC romances I've read. While most MC romances focus on the MC and the people within it, Hidden Heat shows two people trying to break free of it. The actual club in Hidden Heat wasn't like any of the other's I've read about. The others seemed more like families. The women, specifically the old ladies, and children were respected and protected. In this book, the women in the MC were treated terribly and the children even more so. The Brothers of Mayhem MC seemed more like a group of men who were only together for their own gain and no one else's. Whereas in the others I've read, they all worked together for what was best for the entire club and the people in it. I think I prefer the kind of MC's that are more family-based, even if they still do illegal things like the Brothers of Mayhem. I liked how Hidden Heat focused more on this undercover cop who has infiltrated the club in an effort to bring it down. We get to see all the planning that goes into that kind of operation. At first, Cassidy seems like a liability to the operation, but when Thorn sees how desperately she wants to save her brother and see the club destroyed, she becomes a great strength to him, even though she still causes some problems. I just really liked this different angle in an MC romance.

As I mentioned, Thorn is an undercover cop in the Brothers of Mayhem MC. But he is also a part of the Savalas criminal family. Although he went the straight and narrow way, his connections to such a family give him an advantage in his undercover work. He has a younger brother named Wolf, who I thought was adorable and at times I felt sorry for him. He really just wants to know that his brother cares about him. Wolf really doesn't seems like a bad guy at all. I'd love to see a brotherly scene between Thorn and Wolf. Cassidy is the daughter of the Brothers of Mayhem's founding president and the foster daughter of their founding vice president. She and her brother Storm never had a good life growing up and that has led her to make come pretty bad choices, but now she's trying to keep her brother from making the same mistakes that she did. Storm is on the cusp of turning 18 and being eligible to become a prospect in the club. He doesn't like his sister nagging him about the club and he especially doesn't like it when he sees her with Thorn. They are both very head-strong people and are constantly butting heads. Then there's Stonewall, the Skull and president of the Brothers of Mayhem. He's a disgusting old man who has been wanting inside Cassidy's pants since she was a young teen. He finds ways to make things difficult for her and Thorn and he even uses Cassidy to get Thorn to do as he wants. Stonewall is a man who only cares about his own wants and needs, no matter what they are.

I liked how the story switched between Cassidy's point of view and Thorn's. We really get the whole story with this set up. I also enjoyed this different take on an MC romance, having one of the main characters as an undercover cop. Thorn is a character that you can really get behind and root for. And for Cassidy you really just want to see her have a better life, with Thorn of course. Everyone loves a happy ending. There is a happily ever after for them, but it definitely doesn't come easy. There are some surprises in store for them and some sacrifices. Stonewall, while I hated his guts, was a very good villain in this story. I really want to read Storm's story, There seems to be more going on than Cassidy or anyone else, including us the readers, realize.  I want to know what's been going through Storm's head. All in all, Hidden Heat has everything you could want in a story. A new take on most other MC romances, characters you root for, a villain you can't help but hate, scenes that leave you wondering what else could possibly happen next, and characters you want to know more about in the future books in the series.


Author Links: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

Carla Swafford loves romance novels, action/adventure movies, and men, and her books reflect that. She’s married to her high school sweetheart and lives in Alabama.




Monday, November 23, 2015

3 Star Book Review | Taken by Love by Sharon Kleve

TAKEN BY LOVE (Taken #1)
by Sharon Kleve
Published: March 18th, 2015
Genres: Adult, Romance, Contemporary, Suspense
Provided by Author for Review, also provided via NetGalley
Purchase: Amazon
Arden Jones is a DEA agent and has seen and done it all. His transfer to a desk job is finally in reach. But, when his good friend is brutally murdered he must go after the cartel one more time while protecting the ones he loves.

Lucy Farris arranges flowers for a living, lives in a quaint house in the outskirts of Seattle, and has two adorable Siamese cats. The last thing she expects is to be kidnapped and used as bait to by the cartel to hunt the man she loves.


Arden Jones is a DEA Agent who is called in to help in the attack to take down a major Mexican cartel. The attack was a success, but there were survivors. Arden finds an SD card on his bed that contains photos of not only him but intimate picture of him with his girlfriend Lucy. With her now in danger, Arden takes drastic measures to protect her. But his enemies don't give up easily and Lucy will have to find her own inner strength to make it back to Arden.

In Taken by Love, Arden's work comes home with him and puts his girlfriend's life in danger. Lucy is a mild mannered woman who works in a flower shop. She worries a lot about Arden when he's out in the field, sometimes gone for days. Arden tries everything he can to protect her from the threat against her, but his enemies still manage to take her. I loved how this seemingly meek and fragile woman found the strength she needed to escape, even though she was scared out of her mind. This book shows the dangers that the loved ones of any law enforcement officer can end up facing. But I especially loved the romance between them. Most of the book is about Lucy's capture and escape, but the moments that Arden and Lucy do get are really sweet. I kind of wish that this book had been a longer full length novel. I would have loved to see some of the scenes more drawn out because there were times when I thought that the story progressed too fast. I'm hoping that the next book will be Ava and Tom's story. I'd love to know more about them.


Author Links: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

Sharon Kleve was born and raised in Washington and currently lives on the Olympic Peninsula with her husband.

Sharon is a multi-published author of paranormal and contemporary romance.

She loves romance. She loves reading romance, living romance, and especially loves writing about romance. Sharon gets no greater feeling than watching her characters come alive in each other's arms. Most of all, she loves giving her characters the happily ever after they deserve—with a few bumps and bruises along the way.

One of her favorite things to do is pick-up a new book and sinking into the story, immersing herself in the emotions between the characters. She hopes to inspire her readers the same way her favorite authors inspired her.

When not writing, she can usually be found either curled up in her recliner with her cat and a good book, or in the kitchen baking sourdough bread or bagels.



Thursday, September 10, 2015

3 Star Book Review | Broken Play by Samantha Kane | Giveaway

BROKEN PLAY (Birmingham Rebels #1)
by Samantha Kane
Published: September 1st, 2015
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance, Erotica, Sports
Provided by Publisher via NetGalley
Purchase: Amazon | B&N | Kobo | iTunes
Perfect for fans of Shayla Black and Lexi Blake, the deeply sensual new Birmingham Rebels series introduces an unforgettable team of chiseled football gods—and the daring, provocative games they play behind closed doors.

Birmingham Rebels offensive linemen Beau Perez and Cass Zielinski are inseparable, on and off the field. Cass, the captain with the cowboy swagger, is a loose cannon. Beau, the veteran tight end, is cool under pressure. And ever since they were caught on tape in a steamy threesome, their exploits have fueled more than a few tabloid headlines—and naughty fantasies.

Marian Treadwell knows all about the video. And now that she’s the Rebels’ new assistant offensive coach, she can’t look at Beau and Cass without picturing their hard, naked bodies—with her pressed in between. Marian would like nothing more than to indulge those impulses, but she knows better than to get too close to her players, a bunch of adrenaline-fueled alpha males who don’t always follow the rules.

Just the thought of sharing the gorgeous yet guarded Marian drives Cass wild. At first, Beau isn’t sure she’s right for them . . . and lately, all he desires is a little alone time with Cass to explore their new intimacy. But it’s only a matter of time before Cass breaks through both of their defenses. Because when seduction is the game plan, he always plays to win.

Broken Play is intended for mature audiences.



Cover Review: 

Broken Play has a nice cover. There's a hot guy and he's a football player (obviously). Honestly, it's like a lot of sports romance covers. I don't really have that much to say about the cover.

Book Review:

In Broken Play, all three of our main characters have something to prove or overcome. Marian needs to overcome the lasting effects caused by her sexual assault and she needs to prove that she can make it as a female football coach. Beau needs to overcome his past drug abuse and the public image it caused him, proving that he's no longer the same weak man he once was. And Cass needs to overcome the public image a sex tape (with Beau and a woman) created when it was leaked, prove that he can lead the Rebels and create a winning team.

When these three come together, the passion is intense. Beau and Cass have been inseparable for years, but had never voiced their feelings for each other, and always had a woman with them during sex. Marian has always had a desire to be with two men, and yes, she had seen Cass and Beau's sex tape. But when she had voiced her desire to her college boyfriend, he took it too far, and she was nearly gang raped. All three have had dark spots in their sexual history, but they are able to help each other heal in a way that no one else has been able to - they accept each other and their desires.

Here's where some of my complaints come in. There wasn't an even amount of character development. Marian's character was more developed and we learn more about her and her back story than we do about Cass and Beau. It seemed like the story focused more on her than all three of them. We do learn a little about Beau's past and his drug abuse and how Cass helped and took care of him. We learn next to nothing about Cass's past, which was really disappointing. And I would have liked more background on Cass and Beau's past together. So there were some holes and imbalances in the character development that just didn't make me happy.

The story, though, is really good. I liked that Broken Play addressed serious issues and showed how they healed. I loved the romance between our triad. There's some great humor, especially when the other members of the Rebels come in. So really, if the character development were fleshed out more, this book would be golden. I'm still definitely going to be checking out the next book in this series when I get a chance.

Rating: 

I gave Broken Play a 3 STAR rating. I like the story, but there were some things that I felt should have been in the story that weren't. I like that it talks about a serious topics like sexual assault/abuse and drug abuse. And I really liked the relationship between Cass, Beau, and Marian, and how the guys helped her deal with the lingering effects of her assault.


“Hey, sugar, come here often?” Jo Jo Jones said to her as he came around from the showers wearing nothing but a towel, his dark-cocoa skin starkly contrasting with the white terry cloth. Jo Jo was a great linebacker, but he had a death wish. He couldn’t stop smoking weed, and he liked to tease Marian. One of those was going to get him thrown out of the NFL, and the other was going to get him dead.

“Really?” Marian said with exaggerated disappointment. “You had the whole day to think of a come-on line, and that’s the best you could come up with?”

The guys all laughed and Jo Jo got snapped with a few towels. He laughed, too, as if he’d really been joking, which was good. Cass crossed beating him up off his to-do list.

“Okay, gentlemen—and I use the term loosely,” she said, teasing them. “Today is press day. You get to be smart and funny and irresistible for the press corps. Make yourselves pretty before you join us back on the sidelines.”

There were groans from all over the room. “Oh, man,” Tyler Oakes, team quarterback, said. “You have to, too, right?”

Marian frowned. “Hello? I’m already pretty.”

Cass laughed out loud with the rest of the team. “You sure are,” he said, loud enough for her to hear him. Her gaze darted over to him, as if she’d been avoiding looking at him but couldn’t help herself now. He was sitting there in his shorts and nothing else, sweating. Beau was leaning on the locker in front of him, similarly undressed. Cass looked at him, hoping to lead Marian’s eyes that way, too. Beau was sure enough pretty when his copper skin was all sweaty, his tats gleaming black and slick.

Marian cleared her throat and Cass turned back to her. “Uh,” she said, blinking nervously as she backed up, holding the door with her hand. “Thanks. Hurry up. Down on the field. Press. Bye.” She turned and hurried off, letting the door swing closed.

“That girl got it bad,” Jo Jo said with a whistle. “You gonna put her out of her misery, or let me pick up the pieces of her broken heart?”

“Do you have a death wish?” Cass asked quietly, rearranging his to-do list again. He took a sip of his water as he stared at Jo Jo over the top of the bottle. Jo Jo backed up, his hands in the air.

“No, sir,” he said, shaking his head. “Not me. I didn’t say anything.”

Beau laughed. “Chicken.”

Jo Jo grinned. “You got that right, my man. Smart chicken.” He laughed as he sat down and started to get dressed. “See, I’m gonna be the first one down there with Miss Marian, while you pigs still got to wash the dirt off.” He laughed again as he danced out of the way of Cass’s reaching hand. “None of that,” he chided him. “Miss Marian would be very put out if I appeared all bloody for the press.”

“We’ll just make sure you don’t appear at all,” Beau said, which made Cass feel better. Beau may not have been actively pursuing Marian, but he was definitely interested in her, thank God. Cass didn’t want to be with a woman without Beau. He hadn’t been for . . . hell, three years. There was something between Marian and Beau. He just had to push it past the edge of whatever it was and into sex. No, more than sex. He wanted more than sex with Marian and Beau. It was time for more.

Before he could digest that mind-boggling thought, Beau slapped his shoulder. “Come on, man,” he said. “We’ve got to shower and get down there before they miss us.”

“Coming,” Cass said. He put aside his confusing thoughts and focused on the upcoming interviews. He really hated the press.


Author Links: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

Samantha Kane lives in North Carolina with her husband and three children, two boys and one girl. With a master’s degree in American history, she spent seven years as a high school history teacher before becoming a full-time writer and mom.


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Monday, September 7, 2015

4 Star Book Review | The Reaper’s Kiss by Abigail Baker‏ | Giveaway

THE REAPER'S KISS (Deathmark #1)
by Abigail Baker
Published: August 24th, 2015
Genres: Paranormal, Romance
Provided by Publisher via NetGalley
Purchase: Amazon
Drop-dead gorgeous…and fatal.

Ollie Dormier's tattoos are deadly. She is a Scrivener—an employee for Death—and her skull tattoos mark her clients for their demise. She does her job, and she stays out of trouble. But when her hands start to burn hot and fierce, and her control goes leaping out the window, all hell breaks loose. Ollie is showing the early signs of being a Master...demonstrating power that is forbidden.

That power is exactly what Reaper Brent Hume is counting on. A hot, scruffy rebel, who does marvelous and terrifying things to Ollie's insides. Now he needs Ollie's help—and her skills—to overthrow the evil and corrupt Head Reaper. That is, if he can figure out a way to keep this hot-handed girl cool...and keep his hands off.



Cover Review:

The cover to The Reaper's Kiss really shows a good depiction of Ollie. The model has the dreads in her hair and we are even shown Ollie's Deathmark, which is shown on her arm. I really like this cover.

Book Review:

Olivia "Ollie" Iris Dormier is a Scrivener, an agent of Death who marks humans for death. She's a tattooist who Marks those that ask for skull tattoos. Once the Deathmark is complete it signals to that human's Grim Reaper that it's time for him/her to ferry that soul to the other side. But when Ollie starts showing signs of being a Master Scrivener, Head Reaper Marin sends one of his Eidolon Reaper Chad - a Reaper of Reapers and Scriveners - to catch her in the act. 

Marin is a tyrannical leader, punishing those of his people who do anything he doesn't like to banishment in Erebus - or Hell. But there's a rebellion working against him, and when Chad forces Ollie to place her Deathmark on her best friend Eve, it's the last straw. With the help of Brent, a "lumbersexual" Reaper who is part of the rebellion, Ollie takes the fight straight to Marin.

I was pleasantly surprised by how much I liked this book. The Reaper's Kiss is really imaginative. Who knew that Reaper's got high on sugar? Even the small things make this story interesting. I loved the whole rebellion and the fight against the Head Reaper. No one like a tyrannical leader who only cares about himself. The history about the Scrivener Purge was interesting and lets us know why Marin has it out for Ollie. All of the supporting characters has a lot of life and uniqueness to them. 

Then there's Brent. He's a Eidolon Reaper who used to be second-in-command to Marin, but he joined the rebellion. He's one of the strongest Reapers in Styx and he has a secret that could endanger Ollie's life. But that doesn't stop them from falling in love with each other. While I felt that there could have been a bit more romance to solidify their relationship a bit more, everything that they've faced together and survived still brings their strong bond together. I loved Brent and Ollie so much. 

Rating:

I gave The Reaper's Kiss a 4 STAR rating. I loved this unique take on the business of Death. "Death doesn't like bartering." We see this very clearly as the story goes along. I loved seeing Ollie become a leader in her own right and stand up for what's best not only for herself but also the people of Styx. I would have liked a bit more romancy-like moments between Ollie and Brent, but their strong connection is still brought forth in a way that makes sense. I can't wait to read the next book in this series, especially after that awesome ending.


After raiding Lethe, the underground lair of the Head Reaper, Brent and I convened around a piping hot radiator in my livingroom. The temptation to sit on it and warm my buns was there, but I resisted. What was impossible to resist was standing side by side with Brent without touching. And the more we sought warmth, the closer we became. Too soon we were all but hugging in effort to regain our body heat.

Had he suggested removing our clothes, I would not have partaken. I would have liked to know what the rebel Brent Hume was like in the bedroom, but not right before Lethe, in Lethe, or after Lethe, and certainly not standing over a radiator, shivering ourselves silly.

My clicking teeth slowed as the radiator, and Brent’s body heat, melted a layer of ice on my clothing. “Did you... you get the Reaper’s name?”

He pulled down the collar of his shirt to expose a white notecard inside a plastic bag—the prize from Lethe. A name was scribbled on it, but from what I could see the writing had bled. Brent noticed a second after me.

“Mother fucker,” he groused. “The ink got wet.”

“Of course it did.” It was too much energy to roll my eyes. For now, I needed heat. Lots and lots of heat.

He held the baggie up to the overhead light. “I see a name. Baird.”

“Is that a last name or first? Is it a male or female? Who is it?” My shivering worsened my panic, which in turn worsened my shivering. “We did this all for nothing, didn’t we? Didn’t we?”

“Good Hades, calm down, Scrivener.” He turned from me when I tried to get a peek at the name through the soggy baggie. Not one to take such an obvious cue to give him space, I went for it, using my own shivering to launch into the air. Quick as he was, he underestimated my determination. The baggie was in my hands before my feet touched the floor. Being short and swift was a fine offense against tall and slow.

“Hey!” he barked.

“It says Baird. It’s a last name.” I ducked when he reach around my shoulders, thwarting his effort to retrieve the baggy. “But I can’t read the first name. No knowing if it is a guy or gal.”

“Give it back.” Brent refused to continue reaching for the prize, as if little ol’ Olivia outplaying him was a front to his ego.

“I don’t know a Baird,” I said.

“Neither do I. This means I can’t just look the Reaper up and distract him or her like I had planned.”

“So I was right?” I dropped my arms to my sides as we faced each other, Brent looking as bewildered and broken as I felt.

“Seems so.”

I sighed to keep from breaking into tears. My shoulders and head felt heavy. The couch seemed a great place to throw myself down and let my emotions pour out. I would’ve found out, if Brent did rush at me and grab the baggie. There was only a small glimpse of his wicked smile before we found ourselves entangled, both vying for the prize. A moment after, I found out what it would be like to collapse onto the couch, only with the Eidolon, too, falling over top of me. The springs of the IKEA beast cringed from our weight.

Thoughts of Eve and the name Baird flitted away in exchange for one very real thing hovering above me.

I grew tense but hopeful when his eyes turned to my lips. I knew what that meant. Every woman did. However selfish and grossly out of place it was, I was okay with one kiss, more curious than frightened to discover what it is like to kiss an Eidolon who could drain my life. Perhaps my motivation was to ridicule Fate by kissing the lips of Death himself. Or maybe I was cold, tired, and downright horny.


Author Links: Website | Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | Newsletter

Abigail Baker shares her home with a Siamese cat endearingly named “The Other Cat” and two rescued mutts with mundane human names that people think are cute. In addition to writing about rebellious heroines, she enjoys hiking, discovering craft beers, baking the perfect vanilla bean cupcake, and rock climbing (going as far as scaling 800 vertical feet to the summit of Devil’s Tower National Monument in 2013).

Abigail won first place in the Rocky Mountain Fiction Writer’s 2010 Colorado Gold Writing Contest for Romance for THE BLOODSUCKER and first place in RWA’s Golden Network’s 2011 Golden Pen in Paranormal Romance for TATTOO OF YOUR NAME ACROSS MY SOUL (now THE REAPER’S KISS, Deathmark Book One). She regularly blogs about life observances, lives at the base of the Rocky Mountains, and can be easily found hiking any of Colorado’s best trails.


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Tuesday, May 5, 2015

5 Star Book Review | The Werewolf Wears Prada by Kristin Miller | Giveaway

THE WEREWOLF WEARS PRADA
(San Francisco Wolf Pack #1)
by Kristin Miller
Pubished: April 28th, 2015
Genres: Paranormal Romance
Provided by Publisher via NetGalley
Purchase: Amazon | B&N | Kobo | iTunes

My Rating: ★★★★★
Falling in love bites...

Melina Rosenthal worships at the altar of all things fashion. Her dream is to work for the crème de la crème fashion magazine, Eclipse, and she'll do much anything to get there. Even fixing up the image of a gorgeous, sexy public figure who's all playboy, all the time. Even if he's the guy who broke her heart a year ago...

Even if Hayden Dean is a werewolf.

Since his father's death, Hayden's the heir apparent to the San Francisco Wolf Pack-well, once he settles down. Hayden isn't interested in giving up his partying ways, except he's pretty sure he's found his fated mate, and the fact that she's a non-shifter is bad news. Now he must find a compromise between the traditions of his wolf world and his certainty that Melina is his...before fate (or another werewolf) bites them both in the butt.



Cover Review:

This cover is sexy! I like how the woman has a hold of the man's tie. I shows that she has some kind of power over him, which Melina does have over Hayden in this book. The way his clothes are askew shows a wildness to him that matches Hayden perfectly.

Book Review:

Hayden Dean is set to inherit the position of Alpha of the San Francisco wolf pack after his father's death, but his public image is so bad that the Council is reluctant to pass on the reins. They hire Melina Rae, a columnist at a local magazine that has a talent for making terrible celebrity images look good, to fix Hayden's public image. Problem is that Melina already has her own opinion of Hayden, since he stood her up almost a year ago. Things go from bad to worse when a pack of Rogue wolves start attacking turned wolves and any non-shifters associated with them, making Melina a target. If he wants to protect the one woman meant for him, Hayden needs to rise to the challenge and finally put others before himself, he needs to become the Alpha.
   
I thought that the world of this book was interesting. There is this war going on between born and turned wolves. The Rogues are against turned wolves and see them as inferior, something unnatural. Which puts a huge target on Hayden's back, since he's the turned adopted son of the late Alpha, set to take the Alpha position himself. When the Rogue's attacks reach a point that Hayden can't do nothing about, he goes to the Council but finds no support from them. The only person Hayden feels he can trust within the Pack is his best friend and second, Gabriel. Hayden goes through a lot of doubt and uncertainty in his ability to lead the Pack, but when it comes down to it, he leads selflessly and with the true heart of an Alpha.

The chemistry between Hayden and Melina is hot! Melina is wary of Hayden when they first start working together because of how he stood her up almost a year ago. But as they get to know each other better, she sees a side of him that only those close to him get to see. And she sees how the media twist his good deeds to make him look bad. Hayden is so drawn to Melina because she is his Luminary, his fated mate. I loved how protective he was of her, but I didn't necessarily like how he tried to push her away, even if it was for good reasons. When they finally put the past and present events on the back burner and focus on the now and how they feel for each other, they have a passionate and love-filled relationship. I enjoyed the banter between them and how Melina toyed with Hayden as payback for standing her up. Hayden and Melina were a couple that I really liked and I'd love to see more of in future books. 

Rating:

I gave The Werewolf Wears Prada a 5 STAR rating. The world was interesting and I'm looking forward to seeing what happens with the rogues and the SF Pack. Hayden and Melina are a delightful couple that I really enjoyed reading about. Their journey to each other wasn't an easy one. I'm hoping that the next book will be Gabriel's.


Life is not a fairy tale.

Melina Rae Rosenthal had lived her entire life repeating that mantra to herself. She’d kissed a long list of frogs, and put up with a lot of B.S. Today, however, made her question whether she’d been wrong, and incredibly bitter, all those years. She’d been asked out by one of the most eligible bachelors on the planet.

Prince Charming had finally arrived.

There was only one thing missing: a fairy godmother who’d wave a glittery wand in front of her face and turn her yoga pants into a puffy blue dress.

“I’ve got nothing to wear.” Melina dove into her walk-in closet, tossing leather pants and a fur poncho onto the bed behind her. “What am I going to do?”

Her best friend Colleen squealed from the bedroom, probably ducking for cover. Not very fairy-godmother-like. “Just calm down. You’ve been skipping around all day like Little Red Riding Hood on Redbull.”

“Not Redbull. Espresso.” Throwing hangers behind her, Melina huffed and shoved two coats apart. “I’ve had six today.”

“Six?” Colleen laughed—one of those witchy cackles Melina both loved and hated her for. She really was more like the Wicked Witch of the West than any fairy godmother Melina had ever seen. “You and Hayden must’ve really hit it off.”

Merely hearing his name made the hair on Melina’s arms stand on end.

Hayden Dean.

He was a San Francisco business mogul, millionaire, and model magnet. He was also scorching hot. Dark brown hair parted perfectly down the center with silky strands that nearly brushed his ears. Creamy chocolate eyes set against golden tan skin. Thick, swooping jaw, and a set of plush lips.

Totally Prince Charming material.

Before today, she might’ve settled for far less. She hadn’t had a date with a real man in months. The ones she’d gone out with had turned out to be mama’s boys, cat-callers, loud eaters, snorters, and scratchers. And if she went out with another guy who called her “Doll” she was going to scratch out his eyeballs.

She’d started to think the good ones were either already taken or dead.

“I’m telling you, it was magic. He’s not anything like you see on E! News.” They’d painted the famous Hayden Dean to be a stupid playboy. A chauvinist who cared for nothing and no one but himself. To her surprise, he’d shown her none of those things. “He’s unexpectedly…charismatic. And caring.”

Two hours interviewing the drop-dead gorgeous hunk, and Melina knew he was the one she’d been waiting for. The guy plucked straight from her dreams. He was tall, dark, and unquestionably handsome—more so in person, if that was possible—so staring at him while she fired questions about his personal life wasn’t the worst assignment she’d ever had.

And she could go off for hours about the trashy assignments she’d had from Celebrity Crush magazine. She’d worked as the Celeb Life & Style columnist for eighteen months, and longed to move up the ranks to Eclipse, the city’s leading fashion magazine.

Every article was one step closer to reaching that goal and leaving the unrealistic demands of her editor behind her.

“I’m stoked you two hit it off,” Colleen said, her voice laced with concern, “but they don’t call him Hook-Up Hayden for nothing.”

A subtle twinge in Melina’s gut warned Colleen might’ve had a point. All those stories about Hayden’s womanizing ways couldn’t have been terribly off-mark. But how could she turn down the chance to see for herself? Guys like Hayden didn’t come around that often, if ever.

“I think I can take care of myself.” Melina squeezed between two Gucci dresses. Exactly how deep was her closet? “If you got to know him, you’d see he’s different. Deep down, I don’t think he wants to be that way…the way everyone paints him to be.”

Colleen huffed. “You really think you know him? Deep down? After two hours in Starbucks?”

“Maybe, maybe not.” Melina’s fingers gripped silky-soft pleats. “Gotcha.”

She yanked a Prada gown off its hanger and burst into the bedroom holding it high. The dress was a gorgeous shade of eggplant. Grecian. Long and draping, with pleats on the gown and a dangerously low V-neck.

“Ooh!” Colleen crooned, jumping off the bed, her platinum blonde locks bouncing over her shoulder. “It looks like the one whats-her-face wore to that huge awards show last season.”

“Yes, but this one’s better. The V-neck is deeper, the skirt is tamer. The differences are subtle, but it’s striking, don’t you think?” She stroked the pleats, seeing the image take form. “I’m going to pair it with glittering gold Manolo Blahniks, nude lips, and the most fabulous earrings I can find.”

What better way to make a splash at the Silverlight Awards?

She still couldn’t believe he’d asked her.

Infamous womanizer Hayden Dean had leaned across their tiny table in the back corner of Starbucks, gazed deep into her eyes, stirring something in her chest…and whispered the words she never thought she’d hear: Be my date tonight?

Not only any date. His date to the Silverlight Awards. She’d walk the red carpet. Mingle with celebrities. Wave to the cameras. If she were lucky, she’d show up on E! News. The minute she’d returned from the interview, Melina had set her TiVo to record the event. Just in case.

“What do you think?” Melina bounced on her toes and met her friend’s bright blue eyes, practicing the show-stopping smile she’d give to the paparazzi that followed Hayden around. “Am I going to rock his socks, or what?”

“Wow, Mel, I don’t—I’m speechless.”

“Let’s hope he is, too.”

“I don’t understand why Hayden is going to the Silverlights in the first place,” Coleen said, her gaze raking up and down the dress. “He’s not in the film industry.”

“No, but I guess his father is on the Board of Governors and is getting some kind of honorary award for his work.” She shrugged, excitement pulsing through her. “Hayden gets two complimentary tickets.”

Colleen shook her head slowly. “And he asked you to be his date…”

Melina flinched at her friend’s disbelieving tone. “Why wouldn’t he?”

“I don’t mean it like that.” Colleen grabbed Melina by the arm and dragged her to the edge of the bed. They shoved clothes aside and plopped down, dangling their legs over the edge. “It’s just that…isn’t he still dating that Sports Illustrated model? You know, the one with the rack?”

“I’ve got a nice rack.” Frowning, Melina grabbed handfuls of her B cups and held tight. “Okay, okay, so they’re not as big as the other girls he’s dated, but at least they’re real! Doesn’t that count for something?”

“I don’t know.” Colleen shrugged. “I’m more of a leg girl.”

Melina snorted into a belly laugh. “I don’t think the size of my boobs matter anyway. He totally thinks I’m hot as-is.”

“Really?” Colleen beamed, snatching Melina’s hands off her boobs. “He told you that?”

“He didn’t say the words, but one glance and I could feel the chemistry. It was like—” How could she possibly explain their connection? It was crackly. Sparkly. Fizzling the air between them. “—Snap, Crackle, Pop.”

Colleen’s smile fell, and she cocked a thinly-plucked eyebrow. “You’re talking about the cereal? Sweetheart, I think we need to get you out more often. You shouldn’t feel anything close to cereal when you’re with a guy like Hayden Dean. You should melt. Like butter.”

“Oh, there was definite melting going on.”

If Hayden had been any hotter, he would’ve melted the panties right off her body.

“All right.” Colleen nodded. “You better get your petite ass moving. He’ll be here in twenty, right?”

Melina gasped, shooting a glance at the clock on her bedside table.

Six o’clock.

“It can’t be that late already!”

She swept off the bed in a whirlwind, dug around in her drawer for a pair of Spanx, and dashed into the bathroom. Squeezing into the bodysuit, she leaned and tugged as the stretchy material inched up her body. With a groan, she wiggled into the stunning Prada dress. Colleen zipped up the back, oohing and aahing as Melina spun, excitement spearing through her. For the next fifteen minutes, she applied her makeup. Dried her hair. Straightened and smoothed down the fly-aways. If she hadn’t drained her bank account to buy this dress last week, she might’ve had the money to pay for a stylist. But things were tight.

As soon as she landed a job at Eclipse, she’d be fine.

Six-thirty came and went.

Glad to have a few extra minutes, Melina wiggled her size eights into her sky-high shoes and had Colleen strap them. She tweaked her hair. Reapplied her lipstick. Chose a pair of long silver earrings with chunky beads hanging off them. They were high fashion, bordering on gaudy, and they were perfect.

She checked the time on her cell, and just in case, scanned the log for missed calls. There weren’t any.

Nerves settled in, though there was really no room for them in her dress.

“I’m sure he’s having trouble parking,” Colleen said. But her voice didn’t sound so confident.

“Yeah.” Her lips twitched. “Parking’s hellacious around here.”

Melina shrugged off the doubt. As her toes protested the squeeze she’d put them under, she lowered herself onto the bed—keeping her posture straight so the dress didn’t crinkle—and then flicked on the flat-screen mounted to the wall.

“Look.” Using the remote as a pointer, Melina poked it in the direction of the television. E! News flashed over the screen. “People are already showing up.”

“I think they show up early and circle the block over and over again, waiting for the perfect moment to stop.” Colleen sat beside her, crossing her leather-clad legs at the ankle. She

was long and lanky—probably six inches taller than Melina, who stood at five-foot-two on tiptoe—and hung her feet over the end of the bed. “I’m sure some like to be there first thing, and others like to make an entrance. From what I’ve heard, Hayden likes to have all eyes on him. I’m sure he won’t mind being late.”

It must’ve been Colleen’s mention of Hayden that made Melina see him emerge from a limo parked at the curb. The camera angle was distant and from the side, so she couldn’t be sure, but this man was the same height and general size, with the same complexion. He turned before she could get a good look at his face. He extended his hand for two blonde bombshells to exit the limousine behind him.

That couldn’t be right.

Blinking quickly to clear her head, Melina leaned forward as worry hardened into a ball in the pit of her stomach.

“Mel,” Colleen whispered, “is that…”

“I don’t think so.”

Colleen had either read her mind, or Hayden Dean was there with someone else. Two, to be exact. As the camera angle zoomed on Hayden’s look-a-like, Melina’s heart dropped to her Blahniks.

Hayden grinned and held up the hands of his escorts as they spun for the cameras, their green silky gowns hiding little of their curvy figures.

It was Hayden Dean. Playboy. Casanova. Pompous ass.

“Oh my God, Mel.” Colleen grasped her shoulders. “What a jerkhole!”

Melina nodded as tears pinched her eyes. She wasn’t crying for him. She wasn’t. She couldn’t be. She’d just been so freaking excited to be going to the Silverlight Awards. That had to be it. She’d spent all day building up tonight’s experience. She’d planned it all out in her head. Of course she’d feel deflated when the fantasy didn’t match the reality.

Cinderella wasn’t going to the ball after all.

Desperate to get a closer glimpse of the television and Hayden’s smug face, Melina crawled over the bed on her hands and knees. When she reached the end, the breath whooshed out of her lungs.

“Are you okay?” She heard Colleen say. “Mel?”

“I’m fine.”

Oh, she was far from the bland emotion. She wanted to rip out Hayden’s tongue and shove it where the sun didn’t shine. The man was a snake in—oh God, was that Prada? They would’ve matched. They could’ve been the perfect pair.

“I should’ve known better,” Melina mumbled. “I should’ve listened to my gut. Somewhere deep inside I think I knew all those magazines couldn’t be wrong.” She shook her head. “I gave Hayden Dean the benefit of the doubt, and two hours of my day. Those are two things he didn’t deserve. I won’t spend another second thinking about him.”

“Good for you.”

Melina sighed. “I guess I just hoped—I just thought maybe for once, the fairy tale could actually come true for me, you know?”

As her legs cramped, she sat back. The ear-piercing sound of fabric ripping hit her ears. She stilled, slowly glancing down. She brushed her fingers over a rip in the Prada dress she’d spent her entire month’s earnings on.

Tears burning her throat, Melina glared at Hayden’s face on the television screen and realized two things.

By ripping her Prada dress, she’d just committed a fashion sin.

And fairy tales were most definitely real. They were. Maybe not for her, but for the girls on Hayden’s arms. They radiated happiness, their wide, innocent eyes taking in the fanciful scene around them. They smiled as she would’ve been smiling. If those blondes could live in a dream, she could too. She had control over her life, including who came in and out of it.

She should be blissfully happy too.

Why’d she have to wait for some dashing knight in shining armor to come riding in on a white horse and sweep her off her feet?

She vowed, then and there, in her torn Prada dress, that she’d make her fairy tale come true…without an arrogant Prince Charming like Hayden Dean on her arm, acting as if he was the one responsible for it all.


Author Links: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

New York Times and USA Today best-selling author Kristin Miller writes sweet and sassy contemporary romance, romantic suspense, and paranormal romance of all varieties. Kristin has degrees in psychology, English, and education, and taught high school and middle school English before crossing over to a career in writing. She lives in Northern California with her alpha male husband and their two children. She loves chocolate way more than she should and the gym less. You can usually find her in the corner of a coffee shop, laptop in front of her and mocha in hand, using the guests around her as fuel for her next book.


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Wednesday, February 11, 2015

5 Star Book Review | White Hot Kiss by Jennifer L. Armentrout

WHITE HOT KISS (The Dark Elements #1)
by Jennifer L. Armentrout
Published: February 25th, 2014
Genres: Young Adult, Paranormal, Fantasy, Romance
Provided by published via NetGalley for Review
Purchase: Amazon
One kiss could be the last.

Seventeen-year-old Layla just wants to be normal. But with a kiss that kills anything with a soul, she's anything but normal. Half demon, half gargoyle, Layla has abilities no one else possesses.

Raised among the Wardens—a race of gargoyles tasked with hunting demons and keeping humanity safe—Layla tries to fit in, but that means hiding her own dark side from those she loves the most. Especially Zayne, the swoon-worthy, incredibly gorgeous and completely off-limits Warden she's crushed on since forever.

Then she meets Roth—a tattooed, sinfully hot demon who claims to know all her secrets. Layla knows she should stay away, but she's not sure she wants to—especially when that whole no-kissing thing isn't an issue, considering Roth has no soul.

But when Layla discovers she's the reason for the violent demon uprising, trusting Roth could not only ruin her chances with Zayne… it could brand her a traitor to her family. Worse yet, it could become a one-way ticket to the end of the world.


Cover Review:

What I like about the cover to White Hot Kiss is that it really symbolizes not only parts of the story but also the title. The red and white coloring symbolize the title of the book. The near-kiss really shows the tension that's between Layla and Roth in this book, which I'll talk about more later in this review. One thing I really love about covers is when they show what could be considered small details of a character, such as tattoos. On this cover, Roth's snake tattoo is shown, which also happens to be his demon familiar, Bambi. Bambi, in tattoo form, is one of the most notable characteristics of Roth, so I really liked that they showed her on the cover as well. She also happens to be a character that I really liked, which was unexpected. Then there are the details on the back cover. The ring on the necklace is the one that Layla owns and plays a key role in the story. The tagline, "One Kiss Could Be The Last," describes something that Layla has to deal with on a daily basis - her inability to kiss anyone with a soul. So I really love how this cover alone gives you a pretty good idea about the story. There's really nothing that I don't like about it.

Book Review:

So we have Demons and Wardens fighting it out. Your classic good versus evil, heaven versus hell scenario. It felt like this book is where we learn the most about the demons. Their different classes and hierarchy, their powers and abilities. It felt like less was given about the Wardens. There's even some animosity of a group of humans against the Wardens. There is a group called the Church of God's Children who see the Wardens as unholy and try to discredit them at every chance.

Layla is in the middle of all three of these groups. She's half demon, half Warden, but she's also very human as well.  Because of her dual nature, she's not completely accepted by either side. The Wardens have made it so that she hates her demon half, but because she can't shift or do anything very Warden-like, she's left on the sidelines. The only thing she's allowed to do is tag demons for the Wardens to dispatch back to hell later at night. Layla has a very low sense of self. She doesn't see herself fitting in anywhere. The demons ignore her, the Wardens are wary of her, and the humans are completely ignorant to what she really is.

The thing about Layla is that she's more unique than anyone knows, and that uniqueness is what has put her in the crosshairs of a powerful demon, bent on releasing Lilith and raising the Lilin. If that were to happen, Armaggedon would begin, and no one wants that to happen. Not the demons, not the Alphas, and definitely not the humans. So that's where Roth comes in. He was sent from hell to find who is after her and stop them.

We learn a lot about Layla's origins in this book. Who her mother and father are, the true meaning of her existence, as well as some of her abilities. One ability that puts a damper on any kind of love life is the fact that her kiss is lethal to anyone with a soul. So her crush on Zayne, her childhood best friend, has to stay just that. But with Roth's arrival, the fact that he has no soul is a temptation that's hard for Layla to resist.

Zayne + Layla + Roth = a love triangle. Zayne knows Layla probably better than anyone, but Roth can understand a side of her that Zayne can't. The thing about love triangles, especially one like this where it's the girl caught between her best friend and the hot new guy, is that it's almost always the hot new guy that is chosen. So these kind of love triangles I really don't like very much. The fact that Layla can get close to Roth and actually kiss him, gives Roth a huge advantage over Zayne in this book. I can say that I am 100% #TeamRoth. The best friend, meaning Zayne, needs to stay in the friend-zone. I just didn't feel it between him and Layla. Whereas with Roth you could feel the tension between him and Layla. It just builds and builds until they can't hold back anymore. Their relationship and interactions literally gave me tingles.

Being so invested it Roth and Layla, the ending to this book was extremely bittersweet. When Roth told Layla "I lost myself the moment I found you" it broke my heart. It's a testiment to JLA's writing that those 8 words could be so powerful and full of so much emotion. The Bonus Content at the end of the book (which is only available in the print version) is the Devil's Advocate Scene from Roth's point of view, and it really shows you the reason he chose to do what he did at the end. Which also makes the ending sequence and the aftermath even more bittersweet and heartbreaking. I was this close to ugly crying. This close.

Rating:

I gave White Hot Kiss a 5 STAR rating. I loved the story. I loved the characters. I loved the romance. I just loved the whole freaking thing. LOVED IT. I wish I didn't have to return it to the library. I want to keep it.


Author Links: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

# 1 New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author Jennifer L. Armentrout Lives in West Virginia.

All the rumors you heard about her state aren’t true.

Well, mostly. When she's not hard at work writing, she spends her time, reading, working out, watching zombie movies, and pretending to write.

She is the author of the Covenant Series (Spencer Hill Press), the Lux Series (Entangled Teen), Don't Look Back (Disney/Hyperion) and a yet untitled novel (Disney/Hyperion), and new YA paranormal series with Harlequin Teen.

Jennifer also writes New Adult and Adult romance under the pen name J. Lynn. The Gamble Brothers Series (Tempting the Best Man/Tempting the Player) and Wait for You. Under her pen name, she is published with Entangled Brazen and HarperCollins.



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