Category / Endearing Heroine

by mvbookreviewer

Review: Tempt Me Not by Susan Napier

Format: E-booktemptmenot
Read with: iBooks for iPad
Length: Novel
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Series: Standalone
Publisher: Harlequin
Hero: Lucas Grey
Heroine: Victoria Bailey
Sensuality: 3.5
Date of Publication: February, 1993
Started On: May 8, 2013
Finished On: May 10, 2013

My respect for Susan Napier and her ability to continually surprise me with how different and engaging her stories are continues to grow with each book I read from her. Tempt Me Not is a novel that did all of that and more and as a reader who adores romances that really reaches out to me and grabs my emotions at full throttle, I definitely couldn’t have asked for more.

Meet Victoria Bailey, a woman that most people have tended to overlook all throughout her life. The surprises that Victoria as a character continues to give to the developing story was one reason that Tempt Me Not was so hard to put down. Victoria is a woman who exerts a huge amount of control on her emotions, wants and needs. But that control seems to chip away when she meets Lucas Grey, the temptation that he offers being something even that she cannot ignore.

Lucas turns out to be one of those ever patient heroes that makes you fall in love with them because that’s the sort of understanding required by a hero for a heroine such as Victoria who is quite ‘skittish’ by nature. All the while it drives Lucas absolutely mad to make a little bit of progress with Victoria only to find that the next day she is back with more armour in place to protect herself from him.

Victoria finds herself at an impossible impasse when what has been holding her back all throughout the years ceases to be no more and the guilt that has always been a part of her conscious ever since Lucas invaded her life leaves giving free rein to the sensuous and wanton side of her nature that comes undeniably alive for Lucas.

Though sometimes it feels like Victoria gives Lucas a hard time just to play coy with his obvious interest in her, there is a valid and solid reason behind Victoria’s reluctance to do something that she would never be able to forgive herself for putting both herself and Lucas through.

In the end, all the twists and turns seemed to give me a gut wrenching satisfying read, my emotions going haywire with all the conflict that seemed to evoke all sorts of jumbled up emotions inside of me. Highly recommended for those who love romances that gives you something different to enjoy.

Favorite Quotes

She shifted in his arms, but only so that she could lift her own hands to his shoulders, reaching out for the forbidden fruit that she had glimpsed that afternoon with an abandoned eagerness that would have shocked her if she had been capable of conscious thought. The kiss deepened abruptly to a kind of consummation, a woman accepting the savage thrust of a man inside her body. The gentle eroticism with which Lucas had begun the assault was swiftly overtaken by a primitive need to stake his claim, to stamp her with the image of his sexuality.

Purchase Links: Amazon

amazingread

by mvbookreviewer

Requested Review: Officer Off Limits by Tessa Bailey

Format: E-bookofficerofflimits
Read with: iBooks for iPad
Length: Novel
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Series: Line of Duty, #3
Publisher: Entangled Publishing
Hero: Daniel Chase
Heroine: Story Brooks
Sensuality: 4.5
Date of Publication: June 10, 2013
Started On: June 16, 2013
Finished On: June 21, 2013

The Brazen line of romances by Entangled Publishing has quickly become a favorite of mine. The sizzling heat packed into these novels are unbeatable. For someone who loves a lot of heat of the tangible variety in her romances, the books that I have picked up to read from the Brazen line so far have proved that the titles do live up to their name and their super smexy, mouth watering cover images.

Officer-Off Limits is a book in the ‘Line of Duty’ series by Tessa Bailey. Mind you, though this is a series, this book reads perfectly as a standalone and not having read the other books in the series I do not have any idea on whether they are loosely or remotely tied to each other. But the one thing I do know is that if hotter than sin cops in the line of duty are your thing, then you’ve definitely come to the right place.

Story Brooks gets dumped by her fiance just a couple of weeks before they are supposed to tie the knot. A kindergarten teacher who has led a pretty much by the book life till now, Story takes the news that her father has been admitted in a hospital in New York as a godsend in the aspect that it provides her with a much needed excuse to get away and think things through and get her life and perspectives in order.

The one thing she doesn’t count on nor expects is to run into her father’s protege and partner Daniel Chase who turns her world upside down and throws her off-kilter on so many levels that Story doesn’t even know what hits her. Daniel is a skirt chaser if ever there was one and though Story knows she should stay away from all the temptation that he offers, her body has other ideas whenever Daniel is in the vicinity. The wealth of dark emotions that Daniel hides behind his facade of being a womanizer is one that tugs at the heartstrings. And when Daniel encounters the beautiful Story with that sad tinge about her, Daniel goes crazy with the need to possess her and mark her as his.

But what is Daniel to do when his mentor warns him away from his daughter and tells him to keep his grabby paws to himself when all Daniel in fact wants to do is get down and dirty with Story in every single manner possible? And what is Daniel supposed to do when all the emotions that blindsides him makes him crave Story on a level that is completely alien to him that he is completely muddled up with possessive streak that completely takes him by surprise.

The attraction between Story and Daniel is instantaneous, believable and oh-so-scorching hot that I found myself panting almost throughout every combustible scene in the book. There was not even one inch of Daniel that I didn’t love; I completely took him on board as my book boyfriend and wanted to chant his name to sleep. Yep, that’s how obsessed I was with his character and simply put, I just could not get enough of him. I love my heroes with a bit of a dark edge to them, a tinge of possessiveness and jealousy inside of them that makes certain scenes that arise from the predicament they find themselves in that much more delicious to read about. And Tessa Bailey provided me with just that!

Tessa Bailey is a completely new to me author. But her writing style is one that I felt completely at home with, the ease with which she drew me into the story one that is hard to find these days. There are so many books out there that I want to read but have such little time for; or maybe I have just grown a bit jaded with the usual story lines that seem to fill up the bookshelves. So to find a book amongst all of it which drew me in so effortlessly is one that is commendable at the highest level. One thing is for certain, Tessa Bailey has definitely earned herself a place in my auto-buy list.

The one thing that disappointed me was the lack of an epilogue which would have made the story complete in every sense. One thing I would like to mention is how much I loved Story and her best friend Hayden’s banter. Reminded me of the conversations that I have with my younger sister; outrageous, hilarious and of the laugh yourself to pain in your tummy muscles variety. I would love to read Hayden’s story, to find that man who would shake her world so thoroughly that she wouldn’t know how to be so prim, proper and obedient all the time. Oh well, I trust Tessa Bailey can do the magic and deliver one helluva of a read when the time comes.

If you love a dirty talking hero (and oh my lord, does he talk dirty) with enough action to back that all up, grab yourself a copy and indulge. Be warned, keep a glass of ice cubes, yes CUBES, at your side because trust me, the heat from the novel is of the searing and scorching kind and you wouldn’t ever feel the same afterwards.

Highly recommended.

Favorite Quotes

Story might as well have never been kissed before. All at once, she felt reckless. Wild. Free. Digging desperate hands into his hair, she pulled him closer, begging him to deepen the kiss further. Daniel obliged, sinking his tongue into her mouth with a growl.
As they parted for breath, his voice grated against her lips. “If you keep working that hot little tongue against mine, I’ll have no choice but to fuck you.”

“Say please, baby.”
“Please,” she moaned.
Then he tugged on the thong and her mind went blank, oblivious to everything but the pleasure coursing through her. She shook against him as her orgasm battered its way through her system, prolonged by the calculated tugging of material between her legs. His mouth latched onto hers, absorbing her cries, groaning at her wild response.

He bit her ear hard, pulling it with his teeth. It should have hurt, but instead it felt like an attack on every erogenous zone in her body. Her knees buckled underneath her, but his weight kept her upright.
Daniel laughed darkly, palming her roughly once before removing his hand from between her legs and yanking her dress back down. “Who am I kidding? When I finally get inside you, I’m going to fuck you until your voice is hoarse from screaming my name.”

Then he spoke directly against her ear. “Are you ready to scream, gorgeous?”
With a single thrust of his hips, he buried himself deep inside her. She screamed his name, her hoarse cry mingling with Daniel’s shouted expletive. He didn’t stop to savor the moment, however, his hips angling upward and pounding into her in a demanding rhythm, sliding against her exactly where she needed it.

Outside their car, three doors slammed, an engine started, and the van pulled away.
Story screamed his name as the orgasm rippled through her, light exploding behind her eyes. Half of what she said was drowned out by Daniel’s own hoarse cries of release as he plunged into her one final time and let himself go.

Daniel wore all black, from his dress shirt down to his buffed shoes. Somehow he managed to look fresh from the shower and a little dirty at the same time, a day’s worth of scruff covering his jaw. When he started toward her at the bar, he moved with such sensual purpose that Story saw a woman begin fanning herself at the bar. He looked hungry. He looked determined. And he was there for her.

Biting her lip to keep from screaming again, she used what limited movement she had to meet his advances with her hips.
“Daniel. Daniel, please.” She fought the delicious tingling as it built once more, even as she reached for it in desperation. With a throaty cry, she turned and sank her teeth into his bicep.
“Fuck yeah. Bite me, gorgeous. Mark up my whole body. I want everyone to know who I belong to. Who I get hard for. Just you, Story. Just you.”

Purchase Links: Amazon | B&N | Kobo

fantasticread

by mvbookreviewer

Review: Honeymoon Baby by Susan Napier

Format: E-bookhoneymoonbaby
Read with: iBooks for iPad
Length: Novel
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Series: Do Not Disturb, #2
Publisher: Harlequin
Hero: Raphael Jordan
Heroine: Jennifer
Sensuality: 4
Date of Publication: October 1998
Started On: May 7, 2013
Finished On: May 8, 2013

For the lack of something to do to distract my mind on the long plane ride I found myself on, I started reading Honeymoon Baby by Susan Napier knowing that she would deliver a read worth delving into as the two previous books that I have read from her had proved to be stellar reads. True to my conviction, I found myself totally enamoured by the story that unfolded and for the first time in a long while, I found myself being seduced by a hero to such an extent that I found myself daydreaming about him!

Jennifer Jordan (Jenny) seems to be your average proverbial spinster who in your mind you label as someone who would end up old and whither away in the small town of New Zealand where she lives until the too sexy for words Raphael Jordan (Rafe) comes bulldozing his way into her life, wanting to claim the baby that Jenny is carrying, all righteous indignation and smouldering fury evident in every line of his body.

Jenny finds herself in a trap of her own making when Rafe is determined to stay and confirm for himself that Jenny is woman enough to take care of his son or daughter in a fashion that he would be satisfied with. The awareness that had always zinged to life when Jenny and Rafe had crossed paths in the past seems to blaze out of control as both of them discover the depth and reasons behind the frisson of awareness that had always existed between them.

Susan Napier is an author who writes and brings sensuality of the scorching hot kind so effortlessly into her stories. Its the way she creates her heroes and the heroines who are strong enough to love them that makes her books topnotch in that aspect. Rafe is such a delicious hero in every single way that I could wax lyrical poetry about him all day long. I wouldn’t mind it at all if he were to turn up on my doorstep and lure me onto the path of inevitable destruction itself; yep, he is that good.

Its not just Rafe’s good looks alone that appealed to me at a baser level. It is his character that came to life as Susan delved deeper into a story that rocked my world in every sense possible. Jenny might seem like a ‘nobody’ when you first encounter her in the story. But Susan has a few surprises in store for the reader regarding her ‘mousy’ heroine who is anything but that, who rocks Rafe’s world in a way that leaves them both reeling from the aftershocks of every explosion in the wake of their desire for each other. Rafe and Jenny are exactly two halves of one soul, each complementing the other on a scale that made me feel envious.

Its a testament to an author’s ability in writing a romance when the hero and heroine appear perfect for each other and even then makes a small part of you wish and dream for a man like Rafe to come sweep you off your feet; even to an ’embittered’ and ‘jaded’ soul like mine. Honeymoon Baby was just what I needed to kickstart the journey and I’m certainly going to go through Susan’s backlist to find what other delectable heroes that I have missed out on.

If you want to read a Harlequin romance with plenty of heat and a story that doesn’t offer you every single cliche you’ve heard of and manages to grab a laugh or two out of you while you are at it, find yourself a copy of Honeymoon Baby. I promise you, Rafe is a force to be reckoned with.

Favorite Quotes

She tipped up her face to protest and, shockingly, her mouth met his. His lips were firm and resilient, his tongue limber as it slipped moistly past the guard of her teeth and stroked her silky interior. Shock turned to violent craving and she moaned, her mouth opening to receive him. His head tilted, his mouth slanting to deepen the kiss, deepen the penetration of his tongue into her willing depths. He broke off and bit at her lips, licking and sucking at the juicy pink flesh, his hands twisting in the loops of her belt, dragging her closer into the hot, wet embrace of mouths.

She found she was trembling as he looked down over her shoulder at what he had uncovered. She heard him suck in his breath at the sight of her firm creamy breasts straining against the watery silk, their faint tracery of blue veins guiding the way down to her barely concealed nipples.
‘Sexy, he growled, fingering the pure silk hem where it lay against her hip “, but otherwise touching her with only his eyes as he lifted the robe from her shoulders and let it fall in a hush to the floor, leaving her exposed to his reflected view.

She glanced at Rafe, to find him locked in his own world, his head tipped back and his eyes closed, his chest rising and falling as if he’d been running, his arms hanging tense at his sides, the curled fingers of one hand glistening with a faint slick of moisture that it made her blush to see it. He looked as if he was praying to some pagan god, and out in the darkness a molten fire burst accompanied by another crackle of silver brilliance seemed to be his answer.

But no sooner had the pleasure begun to slam into her than he was rising to his feet again, pulling her hips further forward onto the very edge of the desk, ripping open her blouse to expose her transparent bra and tipping her flat on her back as he hooked his arms under her bent knees and mounted her in a single thrust.

We can’t…’ she moaned as he tugged at the back of her jeans and her bare bottom scraped against the matted fibres of bark. She arched against him, and with a grunt of satisfaction Rafe wrenched open the fly of his jeans and guided his thick shaft into the narrow gap between her constricted thighs, pushing himself up inside her until he felt her shudder and accept his full length in a slippery rush.
‘God, I needed this…I can’t ever get enough of you,’ he gritted […]

Purchase Links: Amazon | B&N | Kobo

amazingread

by mvbookreviewer

Requested Review: Wife in Name Only by Hayson Manning

Format: E-bookwifeinnameonly
Read with: iBooks for iPad
Length: Novel
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Series: Standalone
Publisher: Entangled Publishing
Hero: Rory Hughes
Heroine: Zoe Hughes
Sensuality: 3.5
Date of Publication: April 1, 2013
Started On: May 2, 2013
Finished On: May 4, 2013

Hero: Rory Hughes, cutthroat businessman known as Ice Man in the construction world. There’s nothing he would not do to make a merger, be it even sell his soul.

Heroine: Zoe Hughes, owner of the honeymoon island Last Stop, Paradise. Zoe is all about the simple things, wanting the peace and quiet that fulfillment and love can bring to life.

Storyline: When Zoe walked out on her husband Rory one year back, she had no idea that it would be to salvage the source of her salvation that she would be forced to call her estranged husband and ask him for his help. Zoe needs the publicity to boost her business whilst Rory has the intention of killing two birds with one stone, i.e. win his wife back on his terms and tone down that cutthroat image of his which was affecting his business. But Zoe and Rory never factored into the equation just how much things would change when they are “stranded” on an island with nothing much to do but give into that flaring, scorching hot attraction that has never died between them.

Time Period: Wife in Name Only has a contemporary setting and is told from both Zoe and Rory’s points of view.

Likes: There were lots of things that I loved about this book. For one thing I loved the fact that Rory did not change and turn his life around the minute he laid his eyes on his wife again after one long year. Rory doesn’t know how to bend his own self-imposed rules of trying to attain success at any cost and that’s not something that’s so easy to give up. And it wasn’t just Rory who stayed true to his character. Zoe too holds onto those values that she believes in, the reason that she had walked away from being married to the love of her life being that he had turned into someone that she didn’t or couldn’t love any longer  without destroying herself in the process. The woman she has changed into appeals Rory on so many levels, but even then, old habits are hard to break unless that cold and hard shell around Rory breaks down and he is ready to take the chance he never did before. Sometimes relationships break apart and the couple involved needs a time out from each other, to step back and evaluate and heal which just might pave the way to patching things up between them. And that’s exactly what happens to Rory and Zoe and I loved every minute of the journey that took them to their final destination.

How much I loved the chemistry between Zoe and Rory, I can go on talking about that for ages. From the minute Rory sets foot on the island and sets eyes on his beautiful wife, the attraction that has always been a big part of their relationship flares up and neither can deny the heat that scorches them both and leaves them burning for more. I loved the fact that the author doesn’t drag the attraction between the two until the reader is ready to throw the book at the wall because the characters have something called too much self control. My theory is simple. If you have that combustive a sexual chemistry and the timing is right, there’s no way on Earth you can walk away from that kind of heat unless of course you are a self-proclaimed saint. And even then I highly doubt that you can walk away from the kind of chemistry that zings between Rory and Zoe. And yes, it is THAT good and yes, Hayson certainly does deliver on all aspects! Just look at the quotes section and I am certain I can make a believer out of you.

One more thing that grabbed me  was the setting for the romance. It felt like I was lying in a hammock and taking in the scenery myself all the while. It takes good descriptive writing in my opinion to be able to transport a reader into the setting of the story and I believe Hayson did it perfectly.

Dislikes: I thought that the ending where Rory is hit by an “epiphany” which makes him return to his wife was a bit cliche’ but somehow Hayson made it work and the story got a thoroughly happy ending at the end. If it had been me, I would have loved for them to go through a bit of a separation again, just for both of them to discover that being together completes each other. That in my opinion would have been the perfect ending.

Recommended for: Those who love steamy romances featuring married couples who get a second chance at making things right.

Final Verdict: Sinfully good!

Favorite Quotes

His eyes flicked from her visibly hardened chest and back to her lips. His hands cupped her lower back, and he pulled her closer. Sparkles of deep, dark, and delicious want coursed through her veins. With his thumb, he drew circles over the thin fabric of her dress. Before she could help herself, a deep moan escaped from the back of her throat.
She stilled at his sharp intake of breath. Heat pooled between her legs.

A burn started throughout her body, heating her blood to boiling point.
His hand slid from her forearm, up over her shoulder, causing a long cascade of goose bumps. Her name escaped him in a long groan as he bent his head toward hers.
Their mouths clashed. Hot, burning need flowed from her mouth to his and back again. Their tongues twisted around each other in a familiar tango. She sucked in his lower lip and her body sagged when he groaned in her mouth.
She wanted him. Anything to override the powerful current that had heat pooling in a slick between her legs.

Her head fell to her chest then she arched back to meet him. Her body struggled to catch up as he stretched her to her limit. She widened her stance to accommodate all of him. The pressure building in her sex had her hands ripping into the bark of the tree. Inches away from release, she closed her eyes at the pressure building. Her body gave one final arch before she convulsed around him and screamed his name.

“I’ve found what I’m looking for, Rory. Have you?” she whispered.
“I know what I want right now.”
His eyes darkened. His eyes traveled from her chest, and a knowing smile curled his lips before his gaze landed on her mouth and stayed there. She squirmed at the warmth traveling between her legs.
“What do you want?” She licked her lips.
“I want your mouth on mine. Your legs wrapped around my hips, your shorts off, and your sweet body pulsing around me.”

The sensation of his hand working, kneading, and rubbing her overwhelmed all thought. His erection at her opening drove her over the edge. She screamed as the mother of all orgasms rocked her body. She arched, then plunged backwards, driving her body onto him. She moaned as she strained to accommodate the length of him. The pleasure mixed with pain was exquisite. He stilled, kissing the back of her neck but not moving inside her. Her hips instinctively started rocking, but his fingers gripped her hip, stopping her. Her head arched against his shoulder, her breath coming in long, ragged bursts.

She stuck her hand on her hip. “Curves? Really? That’s not going to get you another biology lesson anytime soon.”
His eyes darkened, and that deep pulse in the corner of his neck kicked into life.
“How about now?”
She moistened suddenly dry lips. “No, not now.” Her body did the sexy-times dance it did whenever he had that look about him. “I know what you’re thinking. Your whole body responds. Your pupils dilate, you wet your lips, your breasts push against your top.” His gaze dropped downward to her belly and below. “And I know exactly what’s going on down there. You’re all hot, wet, and mine.”

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

awesomeread

by mvbookreviewer

Review: Her Moonlit Gamble by Emma Jay

Format: E-bookhermoonlitgamble
Read with: Kobo for iPad
Length: Novella
Genre: Contemporary Erotic Romance
Series: Bridesmaids in Paradise
Publisher: Self-Published
Hero: Andrew Norris
Heroine: Joslyn Alexander
Sensuality: 4
Date of Publication: October 10, 2012
Started On: April 23, 2013
Finished On: April 29, 2013

Its always a delight to come across books by your favorite authors that you have somehow missed out on. And that’s exactly how I felt when I came across Her Moonlit Gamble by Emma Jay, one of my favorite erotic romance authors whose delectable books in the Bridesmaids in Paradise series I have not yet missed out on.

Joslyn Alexander and Andrew Norris are best friends. Joslyn is a trauma nurse and Andrew ex-military, having been honorably discharged from service after ten years. Andrew agrees to be Joslyn’s date at the wedding because for Andrew a trip to Hawaii sounds like the perfect opportunity to unwind. For Joslyn who has Andrew placed in her friend zone, attending the wedding with him by her side is going to be nothing but fun and lighthearted enjoyment at best.

But what Joslyn doesn’t factor into the trip is just how easily the sun, sand and the sea can work its magic and lure her into seeing those qualities about her best friend that she has always forced herself not to look at too closely, and just how easy it is for her to succumb to the light of desire that flares up in Andrew’s eyes. But it is Joslyn’s fear that she might lose the most precious person in her life if complications were to sour their relationship that holds her back until she is ready to make the ultimate sacrifice of giving all of her to the man she loves.

I loved Her Moonlit Gamble just like every other novella in the Bridesmaids in Paradise series that I have read and adored. Its hard not to love characters who are down-to-earth, honest and real in the sense that they are easy to fall for. Joslyn even with her hangups about losing her best friend seems unable to walk away just like that and when she does make the biggest blunder of all, she practically moves heaven and earth to make things right with the man she knows is the perfect fit for her.

I have read a lot of stories featuring ex-military heroes just like any other avid fan of romance reading must have. What makes Andrew different from the rest of the heroes is the fact that he seems to be pretty well adjusted to what he must have gone through touring Afghanistan and that was certainly a refreshing change. Maybe his coping mechanism lies within the thrill of adventure that he continually seeks with his partner Joslyn by his side. Either way, I found the fact that Andrew was the character in the story with lightweight baggage to be one of the reasons that I fell for the story.

Emma Jay has a knack for writing stories of short lengths. And the one thing that she does well is always bring enough emotions to the story to make it work for a novel of this length. Just the right touch here and there to make things go down like a cool glass of water with a tinge of lime in the mix on a hot sweltering day. I loved the fact that the beginning of the story was focused in bringing the characters to life, i.e. to let them explore the new sensations that came to life between them and to let them get adjusted to becoming something more after being friends for so long. I loved the heat that exploded onto the pages right afterwards and oh dear lordy, you’ve got to read the scene on the balcony if nothing else that practically explodes on the balcony if nothing else. Emma Jay certainly lets the two make up for lost time and there wasn’t one bit of me that wasn’t revved up right along with them.

Hot, smooth & intense; just the right touch for a novella.

Recommended!

Favorite Quotes

She lifted her hand and licked the liquid from the side of her hand. Andrew made a sound, his gaze on her breasts. The next thing she knew, she was flat on her back in the sand, and he was over her, braced on his arms, the muscles in his shoulders bunching as he stared down at her as if he was trying to figure out who she was. Then he angled his head and covered her mouth with his.
When they stepped through the door, he turned to her, his hand sliding behind her waist, pulling her close. He didn’t kiss her right away, just looked into her eyes, giving her a chance to back away. Though she quivered with nerves, she stood her ground, and he bent his head to kiss her.
Not at all what she expected. Instead of hunger, there was reverence. Instead of desire, there was tenderness. His thumb brushed her cheek as his lips molded hers, as his tongue traced her mouth, tapping against the tip of her own before retreating.

And then he was, lifting her hips in his hands, thrusting into her in short, eager strokes, the wet sound of their joining bouncing off the walls of the balcony, off the balcony above, but Joslyn didn’t care. She met his strokes with eager thrusts of her own, curved her hands around her own breasts, rolling her nipples between her fingers.
Andrew choked and stilled, deep inside her, just to watch her. “Sweetheart. Jesus.”

She tightened her legs around him, holding him flush against her as she came, and came, and came, rolling against his hips, pleasure bursting in pulses that made her whole body jolt. Only vaguely was she aware of his need to move, and she loosened her grip enough for him to plow into her, hard, sending the table scooting across the concrete in loud screeches until it bumped up against the edge of the balcony and he stopped, balls deep, his orgasm pouring through him and into her.
He didn’t leave her body, but scooped her up in his arms and held her against his chest for a long kiss, before he walked with her, still joined, into the bedroom.

Once he’d snugged the condom on, he gripped her hips, pulling her forward, over him. She went willingly, centering over him, and he guided himself to her opening. She hovered over him for a long moment, until he thought he’d have to beg, but then she took him in, deep, in one slick movement, driving a cry from him. She was so tight, so wet, so fucking gorgeous as she loomed over him, her hair wild, her breasts swaying, her hands braced on his chest.

 

Purchase Links: Amazon | B&N | Kobo

greatread

by mvbookreviewer

Review: Traitor by Julia Sykes

Format: E-booktraitor
Read with: Kindle for iPad
Length: Novel
Genre: Contemporary Erotic Romance
Series: Impossible #2
Publisher: Self-Published
Hero: Sean Reynolds
Heroine: Claudia Ellers
Sensuality: 4
Date of Publication: April 12, 2013
Started On: April 22, 2013
Finished On: April 23, 2013

Hero: Sean Reynolds, the man who sends my pulse skyrocketing every single time he enters the picture. To reveal his character here would be spoiling the story for those who would love to get their hands on this delicious trilogy.

Heroine: Dr. Claudia Ellers, pediatrician who is kidnapped at gunpoint in the first book which sets the ball rolling; changing the woman she is and the things she had believed in, once and for all.

Storyline: Traitor is book 2 in this delectable series by Julia Sykes. Book 2 continues where book 1 ended on a cliffhanger. Claudia decides to go undercover, all the while telling herself that it is for the good of the man she has come to care so deeply about in such a surprisingly short span of time.

Time Period: Traitor has a contemporary setting and is told in first person in Claudia’s point of view.

Likes: I am not a patient person. Everyone who knows me well knows this. And I am someone who cannot stand it when I have to wait for such a long time to read a book, especially from an author who is dear to me. And yes, even with the one book that I have read by Julia, I have turned into a fan and would be on the lookout for more of her books. Back to the point, Traitor being out already proved to be a blessing for me when I finished Monster. Where seldom most books hold little interest for me these days, Julia Sykes changed that and it has been a while since I have anticipated a book so much I am even willing to read it while waiting for the bus. That tells a story in itself.

Sean proved to be as delicious as he was in the first book, maybe even more so because as Sean’s character slowly comes to light through Claudia’s eyes, it invoked a lot of mixed reactions deep within me; all of them which were good I should point out. There is that dark edge to him no doubt and I would love nothing more than to finally read about the man who Sean is and the things he had gone through in his life. He is a mix of tenderness, ruthlessness and darkness; all very contrasting characteristics for a single person to hold. But he blends them well and that dominating nature of his is enough to turn even a BDSM skeptic like me into a believer. Oh well, lets not get carried away and say that Julia Sykes does a brilliant job out of it and managed to invoke a lot of seat squirming moments for me! The thing I loved most about the BDSM aspect was that even though Sean may think he is in the driving seat and he is pretty ruthless in his attempt to drive home that point;but its apparent that Claudia holds just the same amount of power or rather should I say even a stronger hold on the man who is Sean? Well, the 3rd and final book will tell I am hoping.

Traitor did threw me to a loop by delving into the relationship that fosters between Claudia and Agent Clayton Vaughn. One second I start believing that Sean is not the one for her and that she would be better off with a man like Clayton who is totally alpha in his own way with a tenderness that beckons Claudia to divulge all her deepest innermost secrets. He provides her with a source to dump all her worries, to cleanse her mind of all the worries and that dark pain that she keeps ruthlessly stamped down. And in the next minute, I start second guessing his intentions and motives for being who he is. Nevertheless to say, it speaks of the impressive talent an author has when she can make a reader go through all that and that too just by projecting only a single character’s point of view in the story.

I should mention that I loved the fact that Claudia is woman enough not to want Sean to treat her as fragile piece of glass that requires delicate handling. I love it that Claudia can see through to Sean, and that she believes in him and wants the best for him though she may not be traversing down the path that everyone might believe to be the most fitting. Nevertheless, I know Claudia’s heart is in the right place and the inner war she wages with her conscience day in and out tells the story far better than I ever could.

Dislikes: None.

Recommended for: Fans of Julia Sykes. Fans of BDSM-themed romances and for fans of ruthless, dark & edgy heroes and the heroines who are women enough to handle them as they are.

Final Verdict: The Impossible trilogy just gets better. Volatile, intense and gritty; I loved it.

Favorite Quotes

His hands were suddenly gripping my waist, jerking me up with him so that we were standing. I twined my arms around the back of his neck, holding him to me so that he couldn’t break the kiss. His hands were fumbling at the buttons of my blouse, trying to expose me for for him. But he wasn’t satisfied with his progress. His low growl rumbled through me as his hands fisted in my shirt. With a jerk of his powerful arms, he ripped it open, the buttons flying free, making small popping noises as they bounced against the hardwood floor.

I could feel him hardening impossibly further, his need for release mounting even as I was pushed towards the precipice. As I felt him jerk inside of me, his fingers found my clit, pinching hard. At the same time, his grip on my throat eased, and blood rushed to my head. The high was incredible. I was shoved over the edge, falling into a bliss-filled haze. Sean was the only real thing in the world as I flew out into the abyss, pleasure consuming me. I didn’t recognize the strangled cry that echoed around the room as my own.

He was pulling almost all the way out of me now, taking me harder and faster. My hips began to move against him, meeting his thrusts.
“You’re mind now, Claudia,” he growled as he drove into me harshly. “Mine!”
“Yes!” I wanted to say, but it came out as an unintelligible groan. Even if I hadn’t been gagged, I wouldn’t have been able to speak; I seemed to have lost control of my tongue. The only movement I could manage was rocking my body back against him, and even that was pure instinct rather than an action I controlled.

Purchase Links: Amazon

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by mvbookreviewer

ARC Review: Lover Undercover by Samanthe Beck

Format: E-bookloverundercover
Read with: iBooks for iPad
Length: Novel
Genre: Contemporary Romantic Suspense
Series: Standalone
Publisher: Entangled Publishing
Hero: Trevor McCade
Heroine: Kylie Roberts
Sensuality: 4
Date of Publication: April 22, 2013
Started On: April 17, 2013
Finished On: April 20, 2013

Hero: Trevor McCade, 30 years old, and a cop for nine years out of which the last three had been spent in homicide.

Heroine: Kylie Roberts, yoga instructor who dreams of owning her own yoga studio in the fine city of LA one day.

Storyline: Kylie’s identical twin sister Stacy breaks her leg from a nasty fall at the exotic dance club where she works. When Kylie agrees amidst all misgivings & reluctance to step in for her, Kylie accidentally stumbles across the body of a murdered man who turns out to be one of Stacy’s regular clients. Going undercover with the sexy Trevor turns out to be a deal and rule breaker for Kylie, someone who has always being on the straight and narrow where life is concerned. For Trevor whose mantra has always been to focus on the job at hand, Kylie proves to be just the right and very tempting sort of distraction he needs. And as sparks fly in every direction & every opportunity available, both Trevor & Kylie brace themselves for the sort of emotional roller coaster ride that would change them both forever.

Time period: Lover Undercover has a contemporary setting and is told from both the point of views of the hero and heroine.

Likes: This was my very first Samantha Beck and boy, am I glad that the blurb convinced me to kick all caution aside and request for this title on Netgalley. From the first chapter itself which introduces us to a nervous Kylie berating herself for agreeing to step in for sister and to the moment she lays eyes on Trevor, I knew I had made the right choice and I let all my reservations go and just buckled up for what turned out to be one hell of a ride.

I loved Samantha’s style of writing, the way she brought out pertinent details about the characters that lent the story a well rounded edge. And the one thing that struck me was how Lover Undercover continually surprised me with how non-cliche it turned out to be. I expected certain scenes to turn out in the most usual and likely way possible and Samantha continued to surprise me by taking the lesser traveled road where romance authors are concerned. For that Samantha Beck earns my whole hearted approval.

And Trevor, oh sweet Lord Trevor. I can’t even say his name without a small tremor invading my body. Trevor is the sweetest sin any heterosexual woman could indulge in. And boy, does he prove time and yet again that he is more than capable of indulging in sinful behavior every chance he got that certainly left me begging for more. Tasteful and yet so very erotic, each and every scene had my blood pumping in all the right directions and thats all I’m going to divulge here for my readers. And let me tell you, those private dance scenes were over the charts hot!

I loved Kylie too. Kylie’s character is very well rounded and her vulnerability together with that determination to succeed truly had me where it matters. I rooted for her and loved the way she couldn’t turn away from the need that echoes in Trevor’s eyes and the way that they both are so in tune with each other’s emotional as well as physical needs just made me one happy reader all around.

On a side note, I enjoyed this so much that I went right ahead and purchased Private Practice by the author right after I finished reading Lover Undercover because I think with just one book Samantha has managed to shoot right up to my list of auto-buy authors.

Dislikes: None

Final Verdict: Hot and sinfully brazen with just the right amount of suspense. I want my very own Trevor right now!

Recommended for: Fans of the Brazen line from Entangled Publishing, fans of Samantha Beck and of course for readers like myself who love a good hot scorching read with a hero that will leave you with heat flashes long afterwards. Definitely recommended!

Favorite Quotes

Head back and teeth clenched, her entire body tightened against his. Her free hand clenched his shirtfront while the busy hand between her legs stilled. She sucked in a quick breath—as if she’d just walked into the biggest surprise of her life—and then came with a long, shattering cry.
In that moment, Trevor knew that he was completely and utterly fucked.

Such a simple thing, really—just lips against lips—but oh, she felt the magical electricity of it all the way to her toes. Rather than sate her hunger, the gentle kiss was like a taste of chocolate to a starving woman. She wanted, needed, couldn’t deny herself more.
She parted her thighs, so her soft, yielding parts aligned intimately with the hard ridge straining the fly of his gray trousers.
A subtle tightening of his hand on her butt lifted her higher. The blunt head of his erection found and pressed a pleasure button she barely knew she possessed.
She practically crawled up his body, curling her arm around his neck, wrapping her leg around his hip, arching and opening so the place he’d discovered was his for the taking.

“Christ, don’t move,” he growled. Leaning in, he pressed his chest against her back, pushing her forward. Grappling for balance, she gripped his knees, twined her legs around his firmly planted calves, and scooted her hips back hard and fast until the only thing she could feel—the only thing she could think about—was the blunt, unforgiving thrust of his erection against her quivering sex. Just when she feared she’d cry out from a combination of agony and need, Trevor choked out a strangled curse, shuddered, and exhaled a long, rough groan.
She gripped him hard, and drew her clenched fist slowly up his shaft, wringing an agonized curse from him.
“Let me,” she whispered, more a demand than a request. “Tell me what you want.”
He wanted to tell her to stop; needed to tell her to stop. Instead, he grabbed her waist, buried his face in the warm, fragrant curve of her neck, and begged. “Christ, do that again. A little faster.”

She leaned in, closed her lips around his earlobe, and bit down. Bright light flashed behind his clenched eyelids, the few brain cells he had left imploded, and he came with a strangled groan.

Hands tangled as he helped her unhook his belt and open his fly. Reaching in, she found him straining toward her invading fingers with an enthusiasm that matched her own. Shoving his clothing away, she closed her hand around him. Dear heaven…all of him.

For one suspended moment, their eyes met. His lips moved and she heard his rough, shocked, “Jesus, Stacy.” Then sensations blasted through her like a shock wave. Eyes closed, head thrown back, she spasmed helplessly, endlessly. With a low, tortured sound, he plunged again, and she shattered in his arms.

 

Purchase Links: Amazon | B&N | Kobo

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by mvbookreviewer

Review: Jackson Rule by Dinah McCall

Format: E-bookjacksonrule
Read with: iBooks for iPad
Length: Novel
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Series: Standalone
Publisher: Harper Collins
Hero: Andrew Jackson Rule
Heroine: Rebecca Ruth Hill
Sensuality: 3
Date of Publication: October 13, 2009
Started On: April 1, 2013
Finished On: April 6, 2013

I’ve been meaning to read Jackson Rule by Dinah McCall for quite a while now; perhaps its being more than a year or so since it landed in my ever growing pile of books that I want to read and never find the time for. Finally, the urge to read a book that would captivate me, and also the fact that something kept nagging me to pick this up for my next read had me finally brushing away the e-dust and turning one page after the other until I was fully immersed in a book that contains a mix of some of my favorite tropes all in one.

Jackson Rule walks out of prison 15 years since he was convicted and sentenced for a crime deemed unforgivable by society at large. Now 31 years old and looking for a way to find a place for himself in the society, it is by a quirky sequence of events that Jackson finds himself at the doorstep of the shop owned by none other than Rebecca Ruth Hill in his attempt to find a job.

Rebecca hires Jackson against her better judgement and amidst the misgivings of her closest friend as well as her preacher father. But Rebecca who is willing to give Jackson the chance that no one is willing to offer somehow reaches into the tightly ensconced heart of Jackson, a heart that Jackson didn’t even know was up for grabs.

As the days go by, Rebecca finds in Jackson more and more reasons for her to abandon all caution aside and finally surrender to the wild desire that courses through her and is mirrored in Jackson’s eyes. But the past would have to be laid to rest if Jackson ever were to find happiness of the kind that he is more than deserving.

I loved Jackson Rule though there were bits that felt too drawn out at certain intervals. But overall I would say the story that unfolds is one that captivates and touches the heart at its very core. Jackson’s character reaches out to you, not because he is wickedly handsome, rides a Harley and has a body that would make a woman self-combust from all the heat that he generates just by walking into a room. Though that bit certainly helps things along, its got more to do with the fact that Jackson is a man who believes himself unworthy of a woman like Rebecca because of a childhood that had been more nightmarish than anything else.

If I were to talk about the reasons why Jackson is a character that invaded my heart right from the start, I’d most probably end up giving away spoilers which would ruin the story for someone who would love to read the book. All in all let me just say that both Rebecca and Jackson makes for two beautiful characters, who finds each other against all odds and finds in the other a love worth fighting every single obstacle that stands in their way from attaining ultimate happiness.

Recommended.

Favorite Quotes

As she took a step closer, her breasts brushed against his chest in a taunt he could not ignore.
“Be careful, lady.” His voice was harsh as his hands raked through her wet, tangled hair, bringing her face closer to his own.
“Of what?” She slid her arms around his waist, moving her body into perfect alignment with his.
Instinctively he braced himself and pulled her close, rocking gently against her in an age-old rhythm.
“Of this.” He cupped her hips with his hands and lifted her off of her feet. “Of that.” His groin had swelled in one huge ache and was pressing into her flesh. “Of me.”

Purchase Links: Amazon | B&N

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by mvbookreviewer

Short & Sweet Review: Risk the Night by Anne Stuart

Format: E-bookriskthenight
Read with: iBooks for iPad
Length: Novella
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Series: Standalone
Publisher: Self-Published
Hero: Constantine
Heroine: Madison Mary Banks
Sensuality: 4
Date of Publication: January 13, 2013
Started On: April 16, 2013
Finished On: April 16, 2013

Hero: A man who calls himself Constantine, a termination specialist or otherwise known as an assassin.

Heroine: Madison Mary Banks, a reporter whose looking to do a story on men who lead lives as the one Constantine does.

Storyline: Its Madison’s need to seek the story that she wants to do on assassins that brings these two together. The attraction they have for eachother is immediate, fierce and undeniable.

Time period: Risk the Night has a contemporary setting and is told from both the hero and heroine’s points of view.

Likes: The fact that Risk the Night is a novella by my favorite author Anne Stuart is reason enough for a cause to celebrate. I loved Constantine, whose real identity is revealed close to the very end of the story; not that it makes much of a difference to the man he is. Constantine is lean, sexy and lethal and utterly too gorgeous for a woman like Madison to attract, or so she thinks. But the story that unfolds as a result of that burning need to possess & be possessed is one worth delving into.

And on a side note, all the while I was reading this book, the song Assassin by John Mayer, one of my favorites by him, kept repeating on a loop inside of my head. And it made the read all that much more enjoyable.

Dislikes: The only qualm I had with the story is that it was short. But then again Anne Stuart does a remarkable job in giving just enough tidbits for a book of this length to be enjoyable.

Recommended for: Fans of Anne Stuart who like myself cannot get enough of her books and her ruthless heroes.

Final Verdict: Lethal, hot and potent. Left me begging for more!

Favorite Quotes

And when she opened them he stood there, on the narrow little balcony. He was soaking wet, the rain running down his stark, beautiful face in rivulets, plastering his white shirt to his chest. He was there, as she somehow knew he would be.
He was everything she hungered for, everything that was wrong. She looked into his eyes, and her body convulsed in a tiny, shocking climax.
She was in deep trouble.
He pulled her, and she didn’t fight him. Pulled her out onto that narrow sliver of a balcony, out into the driving rain, and kissed her, his mouth hot and heavy on hers, wet, demanding. It was a lover’s kiss. The kiss of man who was ready to climax, and her hands, the ones that should have pushed him away, clutched his shoulders, holding on, as she surrendered to him.

“Let go,” he said, his voice a mere whisper. “Don’t fight it. Take it. Take me.” He bit her earlobe again, hard, and she cried out, sliding to a darker level of hell, shuddering in the final, building response that made no sense, she had come already, too many times, she didn’t want this, she was afraid …
And then the last barrier fell, and she tried to scream, but no sound came out as she tumbled into the darkness, free falling, her entire body shaking apart. She clawed for something to hold onto, but he fell with her, his silent, choked gasp echoing in her ears as everything went black.

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

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by mvbookreviewer

Review: Lady Reluctant by Maggie Osborne

Format: Paperbackladyreluctant
Read with: NA
Length: Novel
Genre: Historical Romance
Series: Standalone
Publisher: St Martins Press
Hero: Thomas Edward Montmorency
Heroine: Blusette Morgan
Sensuality: 3
Date of Publication: November 15, 1990
Started On: March 6, 2013
Finished On: March 9, 2013

18 year old Blusette Morgan is the one and only daughter of the notorious pirate Beau Billy. Having grown up in a pirate’s cove, the only life Blu has known is that of a world where the fittest of all survive. Well versed in the art of self defense, there is not a bit of ladylike mannerism instilled in Blu, something that her father regrets enough to come to the decision that Blu would be sent off to her mother in England so that she could become a lady in the truest sense and perhaps find the sort of life that he would never be able to provide for her on Morgan’s Mound.

When Blu sets her sights on the 29 year old Thomas who comes to Morgan’s Mound, the one and only thought that crosses her mind is that he would be the one upon whom she would bestow upon the honor of divesting her of her state of virginity. And when things go hardly according to the plan she sets and Blu finds herself on Thomas’ ship on the journey that would take her towards the woman who had abandoned her and never looked back, Blu more than butts heads with Thomas, whose appeal though never seems to fade away even when Blu would love nothing better than to turn her back on him and of course prove him wrong on all aspects.

It would seem that when Blu reaches her final destination that Thomas would become nothing but a mere memory of a man who had appealed to her on levels she would never admit. But fate has other plans when their lives cross each others and a love most forbidden blooms between the two of them, a love that seems most impossible against the insurmountable odds that stands in their way. Through a lot of moments of the laugh out loud variety – and I am not kidding on that aspect, and a lot of heart wrenching moments of agonized longing, Maggie Osborne once again proves that she is unbeatable in providing readers with stories that never gets old, especially in a genre where no stone is left unturned by the various authors who try their hand in creating stories that their readers would never forget.

The one aspect of Osborne novels that never changes is that she is always brutally honest in depicting the lives people would lead during the times which she bases her stories on. For instance, if it were any other author, I am almost 100% certain that even though Blu had grown up in a pirate’s cove, she would end up being the one innocent flower amongst all the thorns, refreshing in her ladylike manner for which Thomas would have certainly fallen in lust and love with once he sets sights on her. But Osborne doesn’t make it that easy on either Blu or Thomas. Rather she depicts Blu as a woman who grows up under the circumstances would end up being, femininity a totally foreign concept, something she abhors with everything she is.

When you pick up a Maggie Osborne novel, you always know that you would get your money’s worth as she fashions stories that are made to entertain in the truest sense. The only thing I wished was a bit more of Thomas and Blu, something I craved for especially during the last couple of chapters of the story. Final verdict? I cannot recommend Lady Reluctant highly enough.

Favorite Quotes

Brooding, she turned her dark eyes toward a cluster of sails, picking over the bones of a Spanish wreck just north of the reef. There were days when she was depressingly convinced she would go to her grave a virgin. Her stone would read: “Here lies a woman no one wanted.”
“And to think I wanted that rat dropping to be my first! How right were you, Monsieur! I was spared a disgrace of the first water.” Raging, she paced and turned, paced and turned, her sword banging against the cot, the trunk, and Monsieur’s dodging knees.
“I advise we shift this turn of events to advantage.” Monsieur lowered his head and examined her over the rim of his splintered goggles. “I suggest we employ the next weeks to our profit.”
“We bring the crew over to our side and seize the ship?” Blu inquired hopefully. “We instigate a mutiny?”

Then, as her knees were about to collapse, his arms were suddenly around her, his body tight and hard against her own.
Because she could not have done otherwise, because she had dreamed of and longed for this moment, she lifted her mouth and gave him her lips. A shock of lightning jolted through her flesh as his mouth claimed hers. Fire erupted in the pit of her belly and flamed through her limbs, scorching flesh and bone and igniting her mind. She wanted him. His tongue penetrated her secrets and she wanted him as a starving man wants food and drink.

Purchase Links: Abe Books

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