Category / Brooding Hero

by mvbookreviewer

Review: Unforgivable by Joanna Chambers

Format: E-bookunforgivable
Read with: Kindle for iPad
Length: Novel
Genre: Historical Romance
Series: Standalone
Publisher: Samhain Publishing, Ltd.
Hero: Gilbert Truman, Viscount Waite
Heroine: Rose Davenport
Sensuality: 3
Date of Publication: January 15, 2013
Started On: January 23, 2013
Finished On: January 24, 2013

Unforgivable by Joanna Chambers is my first experience reading something by the author. Though I shy away from reading too many historical romances, there are certain themes that call out to the romantic hidden inside of me and one of them happens to be the marriage of convenience theme. Coupled together with a heroine who is not the type of beauty that men would happily go to war for (though I would never understand the concept behind the notion) I thought that this would be the perfect read to curl up with.

Unforgivable starts out with a sickly looking Rose Davenport who just survived a vicious bout of the chickenpox being offered to Viscount Waite for marriage. Rose has no clue as to how the arrangement to marry the very handsome and appealing Viscount Waite comes about. And since Rose is pleasantly taken aback with surprise because Viscount Waite makes her open up and feel alive for the brief moment in time they meet before their nuptials, she is more than bewildered to say when the man who turns up at the church to marry her remains cold and aloof at best.

Gilbert Truman’s intention to marry the beautiful Tilly who captured his heart flies out of the window when he is forced to marry a woman not of his choosing. Bitter about being cornered into a place he doesn’t want to be in, Gilbert does what he must in order to survive being married to Rose. He keeps her away at one of his country estates and ignores her completely.

Years pass on by and Rose grows up, loses the awkward edge about her and becomes determined that she would confront her husband and force him to acknowledge her existence one way or the other, and thus Rose makes her way to London and ends up getting embroiled in a scheme of deception that doesn’t end up all that well. Now Gilbert and Rose are at odds, both fighting their true emotions, each too proud to let go of the hurt and misunderstandings that grows and fosters between them to really see through all that and grab the chance at happiness that awaits them.

I didn’t end up enjoying Unforgivable as much as I thought I would. I didn’t overly like the hero much and believe me I am someone who practically likes every hero in a romance novel – even the ones that most feminist readers do not like. But somehow I didn’t relate that much to Gilbert and thus the enjoyable factor in the novel sizzled down a bit for me. And then there is the heroine Rose. I loved her at the beginning of the novel, rooted for her and ached to see her become all that she could be and more given half the chance. But then things went a bit downhill for me towards the latter part of the book. Nevertheless I’d still say that Unforgivable is a good read worth your time if you like a bit of angst in your romances.

Purchase Links: Amazon | B&N | Samhain | BoB | Kobo

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by mvbookreviewer

Review: The Other Side of Us by Sarah Mayberry

Format: E-booktheothersideofus
Read with: Kindle for iPad
Length: Novel
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Series: Standalone
Publisher: Harlequin
Hero: Oliver Garrett
Heroine: Mackenzie Williams
Sensuality: 3
Date of Publication: January 2, 2013
Started On: January 17, 2013
Finished On: January 18, 2013

Having a new Mayberry book come out is like receiving a surprise gift from a loved one. Having being away from the reading world for quite a while, I had almost forgotten about the Mayberry book that would be out early this year and discovering the fact that it was out already made my weekend! It has been so long since I have anticipated reading a book and got exactly what I bargained for when I made the purchase that in itself alone is enough to make me send a box load of smooches Mayberry’s way.

Oliver Garrett is on the verge of divorcing his wife Edie after 6 years of marriage. The way things had ended leaves Oliver reeling from the shock of betrayal and immense sense of loss, hurt and anger such that he doesn’t know how to overcome the constant voice of anger and frustration that is always at the back of his mind. It is to escape his tormented thoughts more than anything that he makes his way to the beach house of his late aunt with his dog Strudel in tow.

When Oliver introduces himself to his new neighbor Mackenzie Williams, his first impression of Mackenzie is hardly a favorable one, owing mostly to the standoffish manner in which Mackenzie treats his presence at her doorstep. Mackenzie is recovering from a horrific accident that had taken away from her everything that she had sacrificed her whole adult life for and getting back on her feet and re-entering the world that she had been forced to leave behind is what keeps her putting one foot in front of the other and pushing herself beyond her body’s limits.

Though Oliver and Mackenzie both want nothing to do with each other, Mackenzie’s dog Mr. Smith and Strudel both decide differently and it is through ‘misbehavior’ on their part that these two reluctant people are forced to interact with each other. And when disaster of a different kind comes calling, it is then that Oliver and Mackenzie discover that beneath their reluctance to be in each other’s company lies an attraction that is fiery, hot and undeniable coupled with many qualities that both of them find endearing in the other.

The Other Side of Us is by no means a light fluffy story of second chances and love that comes calling to make every single trouble fade away. Rather it is the story of two very real and relatable people who find each other at the lowest points of their lives, both of whom stumble upon a second chance at love; only if they are willing to trust each other and put in the effort to make it work, regardless of all the insurmountable twists and turns ahead of them.

I love how Mayberry brings her characters together, how she unravels the beauty of two people who are flawed, yet have all those redeeming qualities that makes you fall in love with them as you read along. Discovering each of Mayberry’s characters come to life is like unraveling a gift wrapped up in many layers, each layer giving away a hidden facet of its character that makes the gift that much more treasured. Likewise Oliver (be still my heart) is a hero that I fell in love with by the turn of the first page of the story. And yes, this is the unvarnished truth if you don’t believe me. Oliver is hard not to fall in love with. He has got the looks, the characteristics that makes a guy essentially alpha and endearing, both at the same time. And yes men of the world, you can be manly and alpha without becoming arseholes about the whole thing. And oh, how I loved his sense of humor, even his rambling thoughts at times giving me a reason to smile and grin in a way that just made his character that much more lovable!

Oliver hurts deep inside, though he might put up a facade of normalcy as much as he can for the benefit of the people around him. But when he is alone and when the thoughts of his marriage and the failure it had become starts haunting him, there is no escaping the emotions that blindsides him with a ferocity that continues to make him believe that he would never find a respite from it all. But slowly and surely, with Mackenzie entering into the realms of his thoughts, heart and life, Oliver starts to discover that there just might be a light at the end of the tunnel.

Mackenzie is the ambitious and driven sort of person who doesn’t let any obstacle stand in her way – not if she can help it. She had made huge sacrifices for her career along the way and being sidelined because she is not physically up for the challenge just makes her want to push herself that much harder and forgo the limits of endurance that her body is yet ready to handle. And then along comes Oliver, and with him arises the thoughts and possibilities of a future that is for a different version of Mackenzie, a Mackenzie that takes each day as it comes, a Mackenzie that starts to dream of a different path to walk upon, with Oliver right by her side.

It is beautiful the way Mayberry can put so much heart and emotion into a story that I sacrificed my weekend sleep hours for in order to reach the inevitable happily ever after for two people who deserve that and so much more. What I love about Mayberry is the fact that she continues to touch subjects that are difficult to explore, such as Mackenzie’s journey towards recovery, a very real nightmare that Mackenzie lives through each day. And at the very end, when Mackenzie pursues Oliver and turns up at his doorstep, that was when the waterworks began that had me reaching for the tissues at my bedside. If I had already not being head over feet in love with Mackenzie, I would have fallen for her like a ton of bricks then and there, because she understood Oliver and empathized with him on a level that is a crucial factor if any relationship is to survive.

If not for anything else, the fact that this is the one book that I have read in ages that had me coming back for more is reason enough to say this is an outstanding read. This is a story that reaffirms the reason why I love the romance genre so much! The Other Side of Us is a story of second chances, yes, but it also shows that love finds you, regardless of the circumstances one may be in, and that if you are to grab your chance of happiness; a little bit of faith, a whole lot of love and a bit of hard work would get you there eventually. Kudos to Mayberry, for you have done it yet again.

Highly recommended.

Favorite Quotes

Then he leaned forward and pressed his lips to hers.
The world stood still. Her heart stuttered in her chest. She forgot to breathe. Then his mouth moved against hers and heat exploded in her belly and breasts and between her thighs. In that fraction of a second she knew how it would be between them – hot and wild and desperate.

He kissed her, his body shaking with barely controlled need. His hands covered her breasts, his fingers plucking at her nipples as he pressed his lips against hers. She’d never been so turned on in her life, every inch of her skin screaming to be in contact with his. Desire was an ache between her thighs, insatiable and demanding.

Mackenzie rode him with her eyes closed and her head tilted back. Her breasts rose and fell, rose and fell as her movements became increasingly urgent. Her watched her through half-closed eyes, his hands gliding over the warm silk of her skin, fighting the growing need to grab her hips and thrust into her soft, yielding warmth.
Finally it was too much for him and he gave in to instinct, driving himself into her, need an urgent tattoo in his blood. She gave a small, inarticulate cry, her head dropping forward, her hands clutching at his shoulders. He felt her pulse around him…and was gone.

“Once upon a time I used to think I was happy,” Oliver said after a moment of perfect silence.
She drew back a little so she could look into his eyes. “And now?”
“Now I know. Beyond the shadow of a doubt.”

Purchase Links: Amazon | B&N | BoB | Kobo | Harlequin

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by mvbookreviewer

Review: Shadow Woman by Linda Howard

Format: E-bookshadowwoman
Read with: iBooks for iPad
Length: Novel
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Series: Standalone
Publisher: Ballantine Books
Hero: Xavier
Heroine: Lizette Henry
Sensuality: 3.5
Date of Publication: January 1, 2013
Started On: January 9, 2013
Finished On: January 15, 2013

I crave for a fix of Linda Howard like an addict craves for a fix of the drug that gives him a high. Dramatic? Yes. But its nothing but the truth. When I discovered books by Linda Howard, quite by chance I must say, I raced through them like a serial killer would race through a field of potential victims. Again, dramatic a description? But again, that is nothing but the truth. Linda Howard is an author I have an utmost admiration for, because she has written so many outstanding books and the recent decline in the popularity of her newer books has just made me sad enough to weep. What keeps the tears at bay is there is always the possibility of re-reading her entire collection when the mood hits, just so I can get my fix of Linda Howard once in a while, an author who has written romance as it should be, too many a time to count.

I decided to give Shadow Woman, Linda Howard’s latest novel a go because the reviews coming in had not been as bad as it had been for her previous two books which I skipped reading altogether. Yes, call me a coward, but I’d rather remember Linda Howard in all her glory than diminish what her stories have meant to me all through the years by reading books that would shed her talent in an unfavorable light. Nevertheless I did read Shadow Woman and I’d have to admit that disappointment did flow through me as the book made a steady decline in rating as I progressed into the story.

The premise of Shadow Woman is an exciting one. Lizette Henry wakes up one morning and discovers that the face in the mirror that is staring back at her is not hers. And the warning bells start ringing, throwing Lizzy into murky waters where she doesn’t know whether she can trust anyone to keep her safe from them whoever they may be. Unknown to Lizzy, or perhaps I should say unknown to Lizzy until that point in time, she has been under constant surveillance, a subject of massive interest to some very powerful people who hold the cards on whether she should continue to live or be terminated because the wealth of information if she were to remember could bring everything tumbling down.

As Lizzy awakens from the deep “slumber” she has been in for the past 3 years, remnants of her past come calling, in the form of flashbacks of memories and thought processes and behavior she’d never have thought herself to be capable of. And in her dreams comes a man she calls as X, the man who makes her hunger for what his touch does to her, for what they together create in those beautifully vivid dreams of the erotic variety.

When all hell breaks loose, it is Xavier who rides to Lizzy’s rescue, the man who has haunted her dreams since her memories started coming back, their past something shrouded in a mystery until Lizzy finds herself confronting that very past that makes her a loose end that needs to be dealt with.

Shadow Woman is a novel that has so much potential to it. What made it all the more heart wrenching to read was the fact that there were echoes of the old Linda Howard in bits and pieces of the story, mostly in the delicious dreams that Lizzy sees of herself and X, entwined in a lover’s embrace that could be called nothing but sensual and off the charts hot. In Xavier I found that Linda’s ability to create mouthwatering heroes that makes my heart beat faster still exists and yes, Xavier is a hero that was delicious in a lot of ways.

What did not work for me in Shadow Woman was the fact that the actual story got bogged down in too much descriptive detail that detracted from the pace and the suspense factor in the novel. I skipped large chunks of the story towards the latter part of the book, just because I wanted to find out the big secret and wanted to know how Xavier and Lizzy fair in the long run.

With enough bits and pieces of the old Linda Howard to entice, Shadow Woman turned out to be a favorable read for me which could have turned out to be an all out fantastic one if not for the details that kept getting in the way.

Recommended for die-hard fans of the author like myself. 

Favorite Quotes

Then she straightened, tossing her hair back, and turned to the mirror – and stared into the face of a stranger.

For a moment they just lay there on the big bed, chest to chest, legs intertwined, hearts pounding. They were eye to eye, and for a moment Lizette felt her breath catch. Good God, he was beautiful! Not pretty, there was nothing pretty about him, but seen with her heart he was … beautiful.

His touch firm, he dragged his fingertips through her cleft, found the soft, damp opening between her legs, and bit her in the curve between her neck and shoulder as at the same time he slid two big fingers deep into her. The heel of his rough palm pressed down hard on her clitoris, sending little lightning shocks all through her.
Her body bucked and shimmied under the triple onslaught. A breathless little cry slipped from her lips and she turned her face against the pillow, fighting to contain the sensation, and the sounds she was making.

Purchase Links: Amazon | B&N | BoB | Kobo

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by mvbookreviewer

Review: Suspicious Ways by Lexxie Couper

Format: E-booksuspiciousways
Read with: Adobe Reader for iPad
Length: Novel
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Series: Standalone
Publisher: Samhain Publishing Ltd
Hero: Jackson McKenzie
Heroine: Ali Graham
Sensuality: 4
Date of Publication: November 6, 2012
Started On: December 7, 2012
Finished On: January 4, 2013

Suspicious Ways by Lexxie Couper that came out on November of last year is according to my knowledge, Lexxie’s very first foray into the category of sensual romance of the non-erotic variety with a bit of suspense thrown into the mix to make things more interesting. And like the title of this story hints at, Suspicious Ways comes with a whole lot of suspicion attached to the relationship that fosters between the hero Jackson McKenzie and the heroine Ali Graham, mostly due to the volatility of how things had ended  between them in the past.

Ali had been 17 and Jackson 28 when they had first met, Jackson being the best friend and business partner of Ali’s father. With her father’s death, and the sudden loss of Jackson from her life in a way that had broken her heart and battered her to the depths of her very soul, Ali struggles to keep up with running her late father’s business With the Wind Charters. Life is tough for Ali as she works hard to make ends meet, to keep up with every twist and turn that life keeps throwing her way as she battles to keep the business afloat and make ends meet.

Four years later, and at the lowest point of Ali’s life, once again Jackson walks in, throwing all her emotions haywire, bringing to the surface all the resentment, hurt and feelings of betrayal that are still very much afresh on her mind at the way things had ended between them. Jackson doesn’t know half of what has been going on in Ali’s life as he had run, scared with the depth of his feelings towards a woman who shakes him to his very core and beyond. The sure fire attraction that he had felt for Ali when she had just been 17 years old had been a hard pill for someone like Jackson to swallow and though Ali had been on his mind 24/7 when he had been away, nothing would make him admit to the fact and his undeniable need for her.

But with an enemy from Jackson’s past making forays into Ali’s world, Jackson with jealousy burning on top of all the chaotic feelings that churns to life between him and Ali makes his move to stake claim on what he considers rightfully to be his, and all the while suspicion owing to the bitterness of how things had ended between them continues to make an already fraught situation that much more combustive, not to mention the sexual heat of the explosive variety that is never too far when Ali and Jackson are in each other’s company.

I loved everything about Suspicious Ways from the larger than life hero Jackson who practically melted me on the spot from all the heat that he generates when he is with Ali. The depth of his fiery feelings for the woman is enough to keep a warm fire burning in the depth of any woman’s soul and the way he expresses his want and desire for Ali was something I savored with everything in me. I loved just how angst-ridden the whole story was; I have always been a fan of a well created environment of angst in a romance. After all, if everything were to flow smoothly towards happily ever after, where’s the fun in that?

Ali is the type of heroine who wouldn’t stay around to deal with any sort of shit that is dealt to her. She is someone with a take-charge attitude that at times drives Jackson completely crazy, someone who isn’t afraid to go after what she wants and to get things done. Though her heart and emotions lie in tatters with the over the top alpha attitude Jackson projects at first, Ali knows that her want for him would always be an undeniable fact in her life. But slowly and surely Jackson and Ali learn to look past the darkness of the clouds of suspicion that lingers between them and takes that chance that would steer them towards the shores of happily ever after – only if they are willing to trust each other as much as they love each other given a second chance to make things work.

In my opinion, Lexxie’s foray into sensual romances of the non-erotic variety is a real hit as this read scorched up my reader and heated me up in ways sometimes the most explicit erotica fails to do. I loved, loved, loved the way Jackson and Ali could not get enough of each other and how the world around them always heats up to unbearable levels even when they are practically ready to shoot arrows at each other in pure sexual frustration mixed up with anger. My message to Lexxie; keep more of these stories coming; perhaps a story for Jackson’s brother who looks like he might have an interesting tale of his own to tell.

The only thing that could have made this story better is an ending that wasn’t rushed as much. If not for that, Suspicious Ways would have made for a fantastic read, not that it ain’t already awesome the way it is. If you are a fan of Lexxie like myself, grab yourself a copy and indulge; for if you are like me, you wouldn’t be able to get enough of Jackson and his oh so sexy way of seducing the woman he loves. And to Lexxie, thank you so much for the prezzie that you sent my way i.e. this book that rocked my world in every way. Highly recommended!

Favorite Quotes

For a frozen moment, he didn’t move, just gazed at her, his breath a soft caress on her lips. And then his mouth crushed hers, demanding and forceful. She struggled, but only for a second. He lashed his tongue at her lips before plunging into the wet depth of her mouth. He gripped her butt with strong fingers, squeezing and fondling her cheeks through the coarse denim of her shorts. A moan filled the air, low and raw, and it was only when Jack yanked her hips hard against his and groaned in return that Ali realized the sound had come from her.

Heat pooled between her thighs, wet and exquisite. Jack dragged the pad of his thumb over the aching point of her nipple and shots of concentrated pleasure stabbed straight to her soul. She sucked in a sharp breath, pushing harder against the burning rod of his arousal. Damn it, she wanted more.
And so did Jack. With savage speed, he grabbed at the collar of her shirt with both fists and tore the thin cotton material apart.

Hot, sure lips followed the line of her jaw, down her neck. She dropped her head, resting it on Jack’s shoulder as he flicked and teased the pulse under her ear with his tongue. Each little contact sent flutters of wet tension squirming through her, stabbing into the very centre of her existence. She wanted more. She wanted his flesh on hers. Heat threaded through her, consuming and demanding. Every time his lips seared her skin, she was marked. His and his alone. Every time the tip of his tongue touched her bare flesh, she lost another heartbeat to him.

She shifted and raised her right leg to wrap around his hip as she curled her fingers around his neck. There was a mutual thrust and he felt her sweet heat wrap around him, folding around his rigid length with tight, wet pressure. 
“Jesus, Ali,” he ground out. 
“Oh, Jack.” The gasp left Ali’s lips in a sharp breath and, before she could draw another, he thrust inside her again, his head filling with colors so intense he felt blinded. 
She was everywhere. She surrounded him.

Purchase Links: Amazon | B&N | Kobo | Samhain

awesomeread

by mvbookreviewer

Review: Tempting the Bride by Sherry Thomas

Format: E-booktemptingthebride
Read with: iBooks for iPad
Length: Novel
Genre: Historical Romance
Series: Fitzhugh Trilogy #3
Publisher: Berkley
Hero: David Hillsborough, Viscount Hastings
Heroine: Helena Fitzhugh
Sensuality: 3.5
Date of Publication: October 2, 2012
Started On: December 14, 2012
Finished On: December 18, 2012

For someone who doesn’t read much of historical romances, Sherry Thomas is one author I’d always continue to make an exception for. Its because of the way she brings her characters to life and makes me fall irrevocably in love with the way she spins a web that continues to enchant me until I turn the very last page, all the while mourning the fact that the story couldn’t have gone on for just a little bit longer that will always have me going back for more.

The third and final book in the Fitzhugh trilogy is the story of Helena Fitzhugh, the youngest of the trio and the one who is considered to be the most ‘unconventional’ and ‘wild’ from the siblings. Viscount Hastings is the thorn in Helena’s side so to say from the tender young age in which they come across each other. Hastings who had fallen head over heels in love with Helena had always hidden behind a wall of obnoxious behavior, just so that Helena would never ever find out the depth of his feelings towards the only woman he has ever loved.

When Helena finds herself in a bit of a situation, which would be putting it mildly, it is Hastings that strides to her rescue which in turn forces her to accept his hand in marriage; not to save herself, but rather to save the shame that it would bring to her brother and sister if she were to do otherwise. Angered and frustrated beyond belief at the turn of events, not to mention the fact that a staggering kiss between her and Hastings that had shaken her to the depths of her very soul continues to taunt her, it would be an understatement to say that Helena does everything she can to show that she would not accept being married to Hastings that easily.

But as fate would have it, through a twisted turn of events, Hastings finds himself with a once in a lifetime opportunity to show Helena the side of him that he has kept hidden from her for far too long, the side of him that yearns to love Helena like there is no tomorrow and make up for his despicable behavior of the past. Though Hastings knows that his past could catch up with him at any moment, the answering glow in Helena’s eyes makes the temptation to carry on an irresistible one. And when the inevitable truth comes knocking on their door, it is only the memories of the new side of Hastings that Helena gets to see and remembers that saves the day for both of them in the end.

Its a thing of impossibility to read a novel by Sherry Thomas and not be invested in the outcome of the story and its characters. Likewise, Tempting the Bride had me salivating over Hastings and the effortless ease with which he seduces the very headstrong Helena. And the plus side was that unlike the previous story, the tables were turned in this one such that it is the hero that has been in love with the heroine for far too long, and it was the vulnerable side of Hastings that I fell in love with, time and yet again as I read along.

Helena is a heroine of one of a kind. She is the type of heroine who dares to cross the boundaries and tests society’s patience during an era when females who were anything less than demure were barely tolerated. And because she stays true to her character, I loved her and the layers of her character that continued to unfold throughout the story.

Though I felt again that the ending was a tad rushed in this story as well, I would still recommend Tempting the Bride for historical romance lovers because missing out on Sherry Thomas’ incredible writing is not something I would ever recommend. 

Favorite Quotes

Not all opportunities are created equal. Some are nothing but steps leading down toward catastrophe.

Their eyes met. Without hesitation he kissed her. His weight was solid. His hair—she didn’t know when her fingers had plunged into his hair—was cool and soft. And the hunger in his kiss…contrary to everything she knew, he made her feel as if he’d never kissed anyone before and never wanted to kiss anyone else.

This time he could no longer hold back his tears. And with them came words that he’d never been able to say to her his entire life. “I love you, Helena. I have always loved you. Wake up and let me prove it to you.”

He meant to do it properly, start slow and soft, and only gradually build toward the wildness that had always characterized their kisses. But the moment he touched his lips to hers, she locked one arm behind his neck, and all thoughts of leisure and gentleness leaped out the window.
He devoured her. And she, her tongue mobile and eager, devoured him in return. He pulled her out of her chair and pushed her against the edge of the vanity. She grabbed his hair and moaned, a sound of stark hunger—and it was all he could do not to push up her nightgown and sink into her then and there.

At her incendiary words, he drove deeper—far deeper—into her, unable to help himself.
“So,” she said, her fingers on his cheek, “now I’ve made you mine.”
He took her fingers in hand and kissed them one by one. “You made me yours long ago, but now you finally claimed me.”

Purchase Links: Amazon | B&N | BoB | Kobo

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by mvbookreviewer

Requested Review: Need Me by Cari Quinn

Format: E-bookneedme
Read with: iBooks for iPad
Length: Novel
Genre: Erotica
Series: Unveiled, #3
Publisher: Ellora’s Cave
Hero: Antonio Marcus Griggs
Heroine: Marcia Galvin Daly
Sensuality: 4.5
Date of Publication: September 14, 2012
Started On: November 26, 2012
Finished On: December 2, 2012

I ‘blame’ Cari Quinn for daring me to go where no author has ever enticed me to go. That is to dip my reading toe into the world of ménages and God forbid, enjoy them too while I am at it. Thought I’ll never become an auto-buyer of every ménage romance that is out there, I’ll still make that exception for a few select authors out there, who I know would always make whatever trope they explore work for me, and Cari Quinn has always been such an author for me.

Need Me by Cari Quinn is the 3rd book in the Unveiled series. The 2nd book in this series is an absolute favorite of mine and the hero Spencer someone I always remember, yes, because he is that very good! And of course with the cast of all the characters Cari introduced along the way enticed me enough to want to read Need Me as well, although this story explores heavily on the ménage aspect, which I might have totally skipped altogether if it hadn’t been for Cari.

Marcia Galvin Daly is about to hit her 40th birthday soon and dating Antonio Marcus Griggs (Tony), a guy who is younger than her by almost 10 years and adores her to no end. Marcia is as wild as they come, a woman best accepted as who she is, because Marcia is someone who refuses to bend to the rules and mold herself into something she is not and pretend to be someone she would never be.

When Marcia realizes that she has developed a forbidden attraction towards Tony’s best friend Caleb Parker and knows that she doesn’t have what it takes to turn away from the temptation that he offers, Marcia does the next best thing and decides to write a sex manual of sorts that would let her explore possibilities in her sex life that she has not tried out yet. When her boyfriend Tony offers her exactly what she wants; a night with him and Caleb in the mix, Marcia thinks that it would just be one night of torrid sex; nothing more nothing less. However things change, not in the way Marcia expects them to, and forces both Marcia and Tony to accept and realize the true nature of their feelings for each other and in the end gave me the sort of ending to this story that I just loved.

First of all, let me just say that Caleb Parker is hot, and I don’t think there is any scale on the hotness meter that he would fit into. He has this broody, edgy quality to him that just begs and entices a woman to want to explore the depths of pleasure she is bound to find in his arms and I for one couldn’t find it in myself to fault Marcia for her attraction to him because Caleb’s character demands nothing less. The fact that Caleb’s character remains a ‘mystery’, as in his feelings are not explored in depth in the story just made his character that much more alluring and I’m absolutely dying to see where Cari leads him to. Am pretty sure that either way his story is one that is going to end up being an explosive read, one that would be a definite panty drencher.

That brings me to Tony’s character. He is such a sweetheart that its hard not to fall in love with him right from the very start. The fact that Tony understands and accepts Marcia, the woman he loves unconditionally is reason enough to love Tony. And of course there is this totally sexy, take-charge attitude in him which he lets loose around Marcia that is such a turn-on that even Caleb seemed to fade away in comparison during those moments.

Marcia is the character that stirs things up and makes things happen in the story. She is the rule changer in the game and though she starts out thinking that one night of hot torrid sex with Caleb in the mix would not change anything, she finds that the dynamics of her relationship with Tony changes along with it and that she is willing to do whatever it takes to belong to Tony and him alone and that he alone makes her want to move past her fear of committing herself to one man for the rest of her life.

Not surprisingly, though the bits where Caleb, Tony and Marcia made the ménage thing work in the hottest way possible, it was those moments between just Marcia and Tony alone that I loved best. So much emotion in their lovemaking that it moved me in ways I’d never have thought possible and I’m just going to put it out there and say that those moments turned me on more than the most explicit moments in the story.

Cari Quinn always has that ability to make me smile, squirm, hum and sigh at all the right moments and in all the right places. Need Me delivered exactly a dose of just that and I’d recommend this to everyone who has loved the Unveiled series so far and of course those who love Cari’s books and also those who love ménage themed romances. Hot doesn’t even begin to cover what Caleb adds to the mix.

Favorite Quotes

Her lids lowered, her thick dark lashes sweeping her cheeks. As if she’d been waiting for permission, she lifted her hips against him and knotted her fingers in his hair. She yanked his face closer, parting her lips for him to invade her mouth. With sexy and slow pulls on his tongue, she wreaked her own brand of havoc on his mind and heart.

She flicked her tongue over his lips and sank into his hot, endless kisses. Every inch of her body belonged to him, her every molecule and nerve in sync with his. So good. No, it was better than good. This was the best sex of her life, with the man she loved and who loved her right back.

Purchase Links: Amazon | B&N | Ellora’s Cave

awesomeread

by mvbookreviewer

Requested Review: Beautiful Bad Man by Ellen O’Connell

Format: E-bookbeautifulbadman
Read with: iBooks for iPad
Length: Novel
Genre: American Western Historical
Series: Standalone
Publisher: Self-Published
Hero: Caleb Sutton
Heroine: Norah Gifford Hawkins
Sensuality: 3
Date of Publication: September 29, 2012
Started On: November 18, 2012
Finished On: November 25, 2012

From one of the best American Western Historical romance authors comes another fantastic installment, this time a book entitled Beautiful Bad Man, a most appropriate title for a book that delivered a story that was beautiful and fascinating as the hero in the story truly was, a book that made me sigh and yearn in all the right places as Ellen once again wove her special brand of magic on me.

Ellen O’Connell writes stories that are gritty and realistic. She is not an author who pulls any punches when she delivers novels that depict the harshness of life as it was back then. But amidst all the violence and chaos, Ellen still manages to give the reader something that turns out to be that much more precious and beautiful because of the fact and Beautiful Bad Man is no exception to this rule.

Norah Hawkins and Caleb Sutton meet under the most unusual and trying circumstances just for a brief moment in time as young adults. Years later, these two happen to meet again by a quirky twist of fate. Though both Norah and Caleb had never actively sought to think about each other as the years had passed on by, both had in fact wished the best for each other, and had somehow envisioned the other living the sort of life that would bring peace to the other’s mind. However, reality couldn’t be further from those dreams as Caleb finds himself facing a disillusioned woman who is ready to collapse from the lack of will to fight for what she wants. For Norah the jolt is a stronger one. Norah being someone who always has a clear cut vision on what is right and wrong finds herself confronting a man whose eyes show nothing but coldness, in it lying the truth of how survival of the fittest always means that you lose something precious and vital inside of you to come out as the winner in the game of survival.

A partnership forged between two people who couldn’t be more different from each other even if they tried would seem to be a venture doomed for failure right from the very start. But that is exactly the opposite of what happens as Norah starts to discover those startling qualities about the man she married, the man that she slowly starts to fall in love with as Caleb unknowingly shows her just what it is like to be married to someone who truly appreciates Norah and all that she can offer in the truest fashion.

Caleb is someone who believes himself not worthy of beauty or kindness that life has to offer, no wonder owing to the harsh brutality that he had suffered during his childhood. But Norah awakens in him something that runs sure and deep into his soul, a yearning to reach out for the impossible and hold on for as long as possible. 

The constant danger that both Norah and Caleb fight together to safeguard what is theirs brings these two closer and seals a relationship that already takes them to new heights in the physical sense. Norah is the type of heroine that I love to read about. The type of heroine that Ellen is so good at creating. And thus its no wonder that I fell in love with Norah right from the very start.

Caleb is a hero that is truly beautiful and bad, both at the same time, somehow making those two words strung together just that much more meaningful. Caleb is a hero in every sense. A bit alpha, a bit headstrong, just a tad stubborn and a total softie when it comes to his wife and their dog Early without even realizing the fact himself. 

If you haven’t read an Ellen O’Connell, its high time you did. She writes characters and stories that you would not forget anytime soon. A must read if you are a fan of American Western historical romances. Highly recommended!

Favorite Quotes

“The times they’d coupled by early morning light or with a lamp still burning, his face stayed a handsome shadow. In bright sunshine she saw every detail — the way the water had made dark spikes of his lashes, the way those lashes were half-lowered over eyes turning liquid with passion. She had not drowned in the shallow creek. She would lose herself forever in his eyes.”

“She expected his weight, the familiar. He turned her on her side to face him, draped her leg over his, and entered her, his eyes locked on hers. She shut her eyes, invaded in some impossible way beyond the physical.
He moved inside her slowly. She moved with him, giving herself to the pleasure. One arm held her close, one hand rubbed a nipple.
“Norah.” His voice was hoarse and deep, his words in the rhythm of their movement. “Look at me. Let me know you know it’s me. You want it to be me.”
“I know. You’re the only one I ever wanted.” She opened her eyes and let him see the truth.

Purchase Links: Amazon | B&N | Smashwords

fantasticread

by mvbookreviewer

Review: Wild Encounter by Nikki Logan

Format: E-bookwildencounter
Read with: Kindle for iPhone
Length: Novel
Genre: Contemporary Romantic Suspense
Series: Standalone
Publisher: Entangled Publishing
Hero: Simon deVries
Heroine: Dr. Clare Delaney
Sensuality: 3.5
Date of Publication: September 9, 2012
Started On: September 19, 2012
Finished On: October 16, 2012

My pace of reading has become so slow that it ain’t even funny anymore. That being said, Wild Encounter by Nikki Logan turned out to be exactly my kind of read, the kind of romantic suspense that I love to read. Intense with enough nail biting tension of the good and bad kind, with a hero that practically melted me on the spot with that intense grey eyes of his that just begs a woman to do all kind of things to him – and I mean it all in a very good way.

Dr. Clare Delaney is part of the team of WildLyfers on a mission in Africa when their convoy gets attacked and she abducted right along with it. That is when she meets with the devastating Simon deVries who challenges and provokes her in ways Clare never thought possible. The way Simon makes Clare feel is one she is instinctively wary of, but the passion he rouses in her is one that Clare can’t deny. And even with all the obstacles in front of them, Clare still succumbs to Simon’s rousing touch and tumbles headlong into something that Clare never thought would be possible ever since the disaster her previous relationship turned out to be.

Wild Encounter is a tale that lives up to its name. Set in the wild and beautiful terrain of Africa, Nikki Logan brings to life a story that brought me out of the reading stump and gave me something to look forward to every night when I hopped into bed. Both Simon and Clare turned out to be characters that I fell in love with. Clare being headstrong and independent doesn’t mean that she is stupid and takes unnecessary risks. But rather she is someone who bides her time, weighs her options and acts when the time calls for it. I loved her feisty courage and also the fact that she is intensely vulnerable when it comes to Simon.

Simon, oh God Simon, I can’t even think of the name without going into a minute long sighing session – he turned out to be such a devastating hero in so many ways. There is his good looks of course and the fact that beneath all the tough exterior lies a heart that yearns for the type of love that he has never even dared to dream of. With Clare in the picture, what Simon has accepted to be his life for all eternity suddenly becomes an obstruction towards his desire to have her for himself for always. And Simon and Clare together makes for an explosive and combustive combination that I certainly couldn’t get enough of.

The book seeps with emotion. One of the things I loved about Nikki Logan’s writing was the fact that she didn’t cut any corners with the story. Some of the scenes of violence were brutal to the extent that I could actually picture Clare being beaten up and tossed about. But I wouldn’t have wanted it any other way. The edge of violence and the bite of red hot passion makes this story an unbeatable one in the current line of books of the romantic suspense variety. For me, there is nothing better than an author who isn’t afraid to be true to her style of storytelling and I think that’s exactly what Nikki Logan has given us readers with.

The writing is absolutely beautiful at times, so many quote-worthy material in the book that I had to prevent myself from quoting too much from the book. All in all, I would say a fantastic read that I would recommend for readers who love their romantic suspense spicy both in the action and the romance aspect. Raw, edgy and hot, Wild Encounter certainly doesn’t disappoint.

Favorite Quotes

Her knees deserted her along with her courage, her skin roaring to fierce heat, but his body crushing hers to the wall kept her upright. She shook her head, dislodging a nervous tear that fell to where their mouths nearly met. With a low growl he closed the gap, tasted the tiny droplet where it slid to a halt on her upper lip, his mouth lingering there a moment. She could feel the barely leashed strength of his grip on her.
It was a half-kiss designed to send a message. Angry and mean and intended to scare her.
Her heart thundered.

She stopped fighting and his hold on her softened. He let one arm drop so she could push away … if she wanted.
She didn’t want. She leaned into him instead, kissing him back, a half-moan wanting its voice. It was stupid and crazy and weak – and she’d never needed anything so badly in her life. Kissing him, having the control, was as heady as any narcotic.

“Clare…” He groaned into her mouth and her breath came thick and fast, causing a foggy light-headedness. He held her while she ran her hands over parts of him she didn’t know she’d been dying to feel. His chest. The swell of his biceps, the muscles of his back. How could one man feel so good? Such a wrong man.

His laugh was half a groan as he pressed her into the mattress and settled between her legs. “Last chance, Clare…”
She lifted her hips for answer.
He slid strongly into her. His eyes fluttered shut a breath before hers did. He paused inside her, and the two of them lay there – feeling, not moving – for a long, exquisite moment.
For as long as she lived, she would remember this feeling.
Complete. Safe.

He pulled back a fraction, and then lowered his mouth again. Tasted her. Explored her. Teased her.
She moaned and let her tongue tangle with his. His hand left her hair to pal, the hard peak of her breast. Big, sensual, confident circles. Muscles she hadn’t used in six months coiled and tensed deep inside.
Her hand slid along his thigh, aching to touch him.
“You taste just the same,” he whispered, biting at her lower lip. “You feel just the same.”

His scent enveloped her, his body heat reached for her. Her eyes drifted shut in anticipation of the feel of his lips on hers. At the very last second, he leaned in more, so his kiss landed father back, below her jaw. Where he’d once marked her. Back where Boot’s filthy mouth and hands and violence had not just gone.
Firm lips molded to her jawline and pressed lightly against her pulse point, which pounded with things left unsaid. His mouth brushed briefly over her throat, spilling shivers down her whole body. The mere seconds it must have really taken felt like forever.

Then his mouth was on hers, crushing her to him, trying to fuse their bodies permanently together. His muscles barely had to work to keep her tight within the circle of his arms. She melted into his python hold, opening her mouth wider to let him fully in. His tongue stole past her teeth, tangling with her own, invading and retreating, desperate to taste her. She tugged on his lips with her own, clinging as though her life depended on it.

It wasn’t romantic, there were no sweet nothings. It was fast and dirty, and exactly, perfectly, wonderfully right.

He crushed her to him, and thrust hard into her, muting his strangled cry against her throat. She fell with him over the edge, into the blinding light of orgasm, and the rhythmic pulse of his muscles, his essence, flooded into her, made all the more powerful, and all the more holy, by her own utterly silent scream.

Purchase Links: Amazon | B&N

fantasticread

by mvbookreviewer

Requested Review: Ashes and Wine by Taryn Elliott

Format: E-bookashesandwine
Read with: iBooks for iPad
Length: Novel
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Series: Untitled Series, Book 1
Publisher: Entangled Publishing
Hero: Royal James Andreas
Heroine: Tessa Winter
Sensuality: 3.5
Date of Publication: June 28, 2012
Started On: August 14, 2012
Finished On: August 24, 2012

Royal James Andreas is a man who is conflicted with his need to seek the comfort and love that he craves from Tessa Winter, the delectable owner of the store As You Wish and his need to be strong for his father and family that seems to drain every little bit of emotion that he has left to give. 

Tessa cannot figure out the reason why Royal seemed to be so in tune with her when they had first met and changed into a more reserved version of the man since then. Though it hurts her with how much she craves for Royal and his touch, Tessa knows that if he is not willing to meet her halfway, it would never even begin to work out in the first place.

When the overwhelming need to touch and to feel becomes too much for even a man like Royal to deny, it in the end pushes both Tessa and Royal into a new territory in their relationship. The way that Tessa takes charge of the relationship and is there for Royal through those moments when he does need her more than the air he breathes was something to behold. I liked the fact that Tessa didn’t wallow in self-doubt and pity and let what she wanted to do go to waste. She took charge and stuck to what she was dealt with which made me admire her strength and tenacity very much so. And Royal, (dreamy sigh), Royal was just the right touch of alpha and softness that just made me melt in all the right places.

The one thing that struck me was the way Taryn completely surprised me with this story. I found the writing and prose to be poetic, mesmerizing and beautiful and haunting at times even. There were bits when tears sprang to my eyes, when my heart literally ached from all the emotions that Taryn managed to invoke in me as the family struggled to come to terms with the imminent loss in their lives that was about to hit them with the strength of a hurtling freight train. 

Taryn doesn’t cut any corners with the emotional aspect of the novel and it shows, even in the haunting music that Royal plays, which Taryn so vividly brings to life and made it in such a way that I couldn’t help but strain to hear the music that speaks of so much heartache, longing and conflicted emotions. The bits where Royal and his father butt their heads, the conflicting wayward riot of emotions that courses through Royal after each draining encounter made for superb reading and I loved every minute of the story that Taryn has created so remarkably well.

The romance and sensuality aspect of the novel makes for quite a stirring read as well. There were those bits that just made me go “Oh dear God, just do it already you two”, just so that both Royal and Tessa would find relief from the sheer intensity of their need for each other. 

Taryn, you have earned my utmost respect for the sheer emotional wallop you packed with this novel, for the mesmerizing way you have presented the story and for the appealing cast of characters that you have managed create, all of whom are so darn likable that I want to read ALL their stories like right now. And please hurry along with Alaric and Mercy’s story? Because you have managed to give a glimpse into their relationship which just practically makes me itch to read their story.

Poetic, haunting and mesmerizing; Ashes and Wine is a novel not to be missed if you love your stories with enough emotion wallop to tie you up in knots. Beautiful is how I would describe Ashes and Wine, a story that just begs the reader to cry their heart’s out and at the same time rejoice in the beauty that is love, because Taryn Elliott demands nothing less.

Favorite Quotes

The tip of his tongue flicked along the roof of her mouth before sliding along hers possessively. The chain reaction of shivers, followed by a bone-deep burn, only made her want more. 

He kissed her like he’d never get enough of her. Deeper, darker, and with an overwhelming intimacy that left her trembling. The hard crush of his chest trapped her hands between them. Her fingertips dug into whatever she could reach, but it wasn’t enough. She wanted to explore the crinkle of hair beneath his shirt, wanted to feel his skin under the pads of her fingers. She wanted everything.

The first strains of the haunting melody halted conversation. The hollow knock against the body of the guitar was like a heartbeat. Steady and controlled, his long fingers manipulated the strings along the fretboard. A simple instrument shouldn’t have so much power.
Sad and lonely, the song reached inside and carved Tessa’s heart out. No words were needed. 

When he opened his eyes, he found Tessa instantly.
Her bright cap of copper hair was up in a chignon, leaving her elegant neck bare. A soft wool sweater and skirt hugged her curves, complemented by heeled boots. She was beautiful—almost untouchably so, with her creamy skin and dancer’s body. But then she smiled, and he was hers for as long as it lasted.

Her lips found his one more time before she drew away. Their fingers tangled, and he held on for another precious second.
Mistake. This was a mistake.
But she’d be the best mistake he’d ever made.

He rose up and their kisses lost any semblance of finesse. She fisted her hands in his hair and cried out his name. She pressed her cheek to his. Her full body tremor ended with that cracked moan that was quickly becoming addicting. She’d completely steeped herself in him, in their mutual pleasure, and her surrender was sweeter than anything he’d ever known.

Purchase Links: Amazon | B&N

fantasticread

by mvbookreviewer

Score Sheet Review: Leaving Bluestone by M.J. Fredrick

Format: E-bookleavingbluestone
Read with: iBooks for iPad
Length: Novel
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Series: Welcome to Bluestone, #3
Publisher: Self-Published
Hero: Quinn Alden
Heroine: Lily Prater
Sensuality: 3
Date of Publication: April 4, 2012
Started On: August 7, 2012
Finished On: August 9, 2012

 

CATEGORY SCORE GRADE
The hero 85 A
The heroine 85 A
Story line 85 A
Emotional Intensity 85 A
Suck me in Factor 85 A
Heat & Sensuality 85 A
Conflicts 85 A
Writing Style 95 A
Quotable Factor 50 A
Ending 80 A
Overall Grade 82 A

Score Sheet Summary

The third and final book in the Welcome to Bluestone series was the story that I most anticipated for when I first read the debut novel of the series. Even though the book didn’t live up to all my expectations, nevertheless MJ Fredrick did a fairly impressive job of tying up all loose ends in the trilogy and delivered a fitting end to a couple who had it going from the very beginning – if only Quinn Alden would let go of his stubborn notions that Lily Prater was not for him.

Ex-military, a bit broody and with one of those tattoos on him that could drive a girl to do crazy things, Quinn was the hero that I drooled over the most in the series. Quinn suffers from survivor’s guilt which makes him turn his back on the searing need that runs through him whenever Lily is around. The bits about the struggle that Quinn goes through to come to terms with his familial ties were ones filled with lump-in-the-throat moments. MJ has a way of bringing that sort of conflict to the forefront & dealing with them that just makes her books that much worthy of indulgence.

Lily is the driving force behind the total turnaround that the sleepy town of Bluestone does. She is like this little ball of energy that never ceases to stop, that never gives up and its her unwavering enthusiasm that is what drew me to her the most. Though at times it was exhausting to even think of all the things Lily gets done, I was impressed and suitably so since I am one of the least energetic people this world has ever had the fortune of seeing.

What I loved most was seeing all the changes that Bluestone sees, thanks to  the collective effort of its citizens, mainly Lily who never falters in her focus on making a name for Bluestone in the grand scale of things. All in all a great addition to the series. Though this is the end to the trilogy, there were characters I met throughout the story that I wouldn’t mind knowing more about – and yes, I am selfish enough to want more books from an author who never fails to deliver.

Recommended for those who love small town romances.

Favorite Quotes

She padded barefoot to the door in her long flannel nightshirt–the nights were chilly already–and opened the door.
Quinn stood there, shoulders tense in his white T-shirt, hands shoved into the pockets of his jeans for the split second before he took them out and grabbed her, dragging her forward, one hand in her hair, the other around her waist. Then his mouth was on hers, hot and hungry, lips firm, almost like he didn’t want to be doing this but had no choice. 

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