Category / Scorcher!

by mvbookreviewer

Review: Take Me Under by Rhyannon Byrd

Format: E-booktakemeunder.jpg
Read with: Kindle for iPad
Length: Novel
Genre: Contemporary Romantic Suspense
Series: Dangerous Tides, #1
Publisher: Berkley
Hero: Ben Hudson
Heroine: Reese Monroe
Sensuality: 4.9
Date of Publication: June 4, 2013
Started On: July 20, 2013
Finished On: July 22, 2013

34 year old Ben Hudson is the new sheriff of the idyllic holiday beach town of Moss Beach, Florida. Having given up his position as a homicide detective in Miami due to circumstances that had unfolded during his last investigation, Ben moves to town to take things at a more sedately pace. Ben has a reputation for working hard and playing that much harder and is never afraid of going after what he wants. The only thing that scares the bejeesus out of his is emotional entanglements of any sort.

Newly divorced 28 year old Reese Monroe moves to Moss Beach aiming to kickstart her life in a whole new direction. Her marriage to a cheating scoundrel has pretty much dented her ego and eroded her sense of self esteem and the need to escape from the mess her life had become motivates the move more than anything else.

Ben has hungered for Reese ever since the night he laid his eyes on Reese three years back. He has bided his time, always knowing deep inside that if and whenever Reese becomes free from the clutches of her good for nothing husband, he would definitely make his move and leave them both with the scorching imprint of how good things could be with them between the sheets.

Told from both Ben and Reese’s points of view in third person, Take Me Under takes place in its entirety in Moss Beach, Florida.

The connection between Ben and Reese sizzles right from the onset, a very much wary Reese who has no idea of how much of a starring role she has played in the sexy sheriff’s fantasies a little bit taken aback by the zeal with which Ben pursues her. And when it comes to light that Reese has a stalker who might have made his way to her new hometown on her heels, there is no stopping the protective instinct that surges forth in Ben and he becomes more of a force to be reckoned with which means for Reese there really is no turning back.

Rhyannon Byrd is very talented in the style with which she effortlessly blends the erotic and downright dirty sex into whatever genre of romance she works on. It has been while since she has published a contemporary romance and Take Me Under was a novel that I had been very much in anticipation for ever since she announced its release. Though it didn’t live up to all my expectations, Take Me Under proved to be a hot and panty-melting read with a dirty talking hero tossed into the mix.

Ben seemed to be a bit overwhelming to me; and I believe this just might be the first time I’m saying that about a hero, especially someone who looks like Christian Bale of all people. Forceful in his nature, Ben is a man from whom a woman can’t hide, either during the moments of passion or otherwise. And Ben is greedy enough to want everything Reese can give, although he might not be ready for the overwhelming riot of emotions that blindsides him as much as the passion between them does. The only thing that Ben is more afraid of than anything else is opening up the raw wounds that has festered for far too long inside of him.

Reese knows exactly what she is getting into when she says yes to getting down and dirty with Ben, and she goes onto show it in more ways than one, which actually seems to do a pretty good job of annoying Ben out of his stance on no messy emotional entanglements. It was quite amusing to see Ben in a role that he has never found himself in before as he reluctantly comes to the conclusion that without Reese by his side, he might just as well not exist.

I’m pretty much looking forward to Alex’s story, which seems to be in the works if the ending was anything to judge the next book in the series by. Alex certainly looks to be a hero who would be worth all the heartache he would put a reader through before embracing his own happily ever after.

Recommended for fans of Rhyannon Byrd and erotic contemporary romantic suspense.

Final Verdict: Raw & explicit, Take Me Under is a good debut for the Dangerous Tides series.

Purchase Links: Amazon | B&N | Kobo

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by mvbookreviewer

ARC Review: Escaping Reality by Lisa Renee Jones

Format: E-bookescapingreality
Read with: iBooks for iPad
Length: Novel
Genre: Contemporary Romantic Suspense
Series: The Secret Life of Amy Bensen, #1
Publisher: Julie Patra Publishing
Hero: Liam Stone
Heroine: Amy Bensen
Sensuality: 4
Date of Publication: July 22, 2013
Started On: July 17, 2013
Finished On: July 20, 2013

His touch spirals through me, warm and sweet, wicked and hot. I shouldn’t trust him. I shouldn’t tell him my secrets. But how do I not when he is the reason I breathe? He is what I need.

Liam Stone is a reclusive billionaire and philanthropist, a brilliant architect whose work is coveted by anyone and everyone who wants to make a long lasting impression in terms of building architecture and landmarks. A man who hugs his own demons far too close to comfort, Liam is a man used to taking charge, going after what he wants and winning.

Amy Bensen is a woman who is on the run, who has been on the run since she’d been 18 years old. Blending in with the rest is what does best, drawing attention to herself something that makes her palpitate in the fear that whatever or whoever she is running from would get the best of her.

Amy and Liam’s paths cross when the unseen danger comes calling once again, requiring her to leave whatever semblance of normalcy she has had for the past couple of years and leave everything behind. With the attraction and sense of awareness that trickles to life between them real and hard to ignore even from the very start, Amy finds herself breaking all her self appointed rules when it comes to Liam and how utterly and thoroughly he wreaks havoc on all her senses. Told in first person from Amy’s point of view alone, Escaping Reality is the first book in the two book series, The Secret Life of Amy Bensen.

Escaping Reality is my very first book by the New York Times Bestselling author Lisa Renee Jones. Amy’s story is one that calls out to the reader, one there is no escape from once you start reading. With the turn of each page, Lisa embroils you deeper into the unfolding relationship between the darkly handsome Liam, whose contrasting nature of being demanding in the bedroom and protective out of it tugs at your heartstrings.

Liam is a force to be reckoned with. One doesn’t assume the role of being a billionaire after having grown up barely making ends meet without becoming one. His utter focus on Amy and uncovering the secrets that makes her flinch away from life and all the possibilities it has to offer is one that compels the reader to keep turning the pages. There is a darker side to Liam, a side that he mostly hides from the rest of the world. The moment of desperation that revealed that side of him was in essence the point where I felt myself get drawn deeper into his character.

Amy has been running for so long, looking over her shoulder for the danger in pursuit of her, from the bits and pieces of memories that haunt and taunt her for so long that its almost as if she has known no other way of life. Liam is the rule breaker, the man who disturbs and destructs all the plans she has laid out in her mind to play her role in the game of survival that has become her life for the past six years.

Amy might want to turn around and run, run as far away as she can from Liam and all that he comes to mean to her in the short span of time that takes to form the bond between them, but something holds her back, the need within her that spirals out of control every time Liam lays his eyes on her. It is her undying need to be with him and protect him from her at all and any cost that finally makes Amy take that vital step towards seeking answers for the questions that has always been at the back of her mind, never being answered for the lack of courage within her to step in that direction.

Escaping Reality of course concludes with a cliffhanger ending which leaves the reader practically itching to find how the series will conclude, the curiosity which will only be sated coming October.

Final Verdict: Relentless; with the hint of danger & darkness snapping at the heels of the turn of every page, Escaping Reality is an unstoppable page-turner!

Favorite Quotes

His fingers curve around my neck, tugging my mouth near his, teasing me with the promise of a kiss. “You have no idea just how demanding I can be.” And with that erotic promise, his tongue slices into my mouth, a silky, hot caress that seems to touch every inch of my now tingling body. The taste of him, of hot passion and desire, sizzles through my senses, and my fingers splay on the hard wall of his chest.

He advances on me and I swallow the rest of my sentence. I start to back away but he is already in front of me, his hands on my waist. I suck in a breath, and just that fast, I’m on the counter, skirt up, knees apart, and the fingers of one of his hands tunnel into my hair. His mouth slants over mine, his tongue licking into my mouth, and he doesn’t taste tender. Not one little bit. He tastes like the raw, honest passion he’s promised this night will hold. And he tastes like me.

There is just the wild passion consuming us, and he is touching me, moving inside me, and I am going crazy with my hands tied. I want to touch him. I need to touch him.
He is on edge too, his grip tightening around my hips, his face buried in my neck, and with a guttural moan, he pushes harder, deeper, and my sex is one deep pulse around his shaft that begins a wave of pleasure and spreads through my entire body. I am there. I am falling, tumbling, and finally, I crash into that sweet spot.

Purchase Links: Amazon

awesomeread

by mvbookreviewer

Requested Review: Holiday Sparks by Taryn Elliott

Format: E-bookholidaysparks
Read with: iBooks for iPad
Length: Novel
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Series: Standalone
Publisher: Ellora’s Cave
Hero: Ben Hartley
Heroine: Darcy Tucker
Sensuality: 4
Date of Publication: December 21, 2012
Started On: July 4, 2013
Finished On: July 5, 2013

Ben Hartley is a tattoo artist who also happens to be Darcy’s tenant. Darcy Tucker is the front end manager of the elite Blackstone’s Department Store. Work practically dictates her life and she has time for little else.

Ben loves Christmas and the festive season that goes along with it. He learns the hard way that Darcy, who is way far too appealing for his peace of mind does not when he ends up using his ingenuity to decorate her home and light it up for the whole neighborhood to admire. A quirky sequence of events however has Darcy asking for Ben’s help, which gives them both the opportunity to explore what they could have together if they are willing to take that chance.

With a contemporary setting and told from both Ben and Darcy’s points of view, Holiday Sparks was a beauty to lose myself in. I frikking loved Ben, which should not come as a surprise to anyone who knows me. I mean I loved him so much that I felt a tiny frisson of jealousy over the fact that author Cari Quinn practically owned him even before the story made its way to the rest of the readers.

There’s no reason whatsoever not to like a man who has a wicked sense of humor. That is always a major turn-on factor as far as I am concerned. Add to that the take-your-clothes-off-now variety of good looks and tattooed bad-assness that hides a sensitive and fun loving guy; well, there’s very little possibility for anyone to screw it up with a man like him.

Ben is the direct opposite of Darcy who is ambitious and driven enough to not let her focus on her end goals be swayed by anything until she takes notice of Ben who lives right under her nose. It doesn’t mean that Ben is someone without his own goals and focus in life. Rather Ben is the type willing to have a little bit of fun along the way to his ultimate goal. When circumstances forces Darcy to get to know Ben up close and personal, its hard for her to walk away from the man who makes her feel like the most precious and desired woman on the planet.

I loved the intense love scenes in the book more so than the tender ones. Not that I didn’t love the tender ones too! I found that the intense ones brought to light just how into each other Ben and Darcy were and showed the changing flavors of their relationship in the most scorching and panty melting way possible!

Overall a book that surprised me and held me enthralled in equal doses. What more can a gal ask for?

Recommended for fans of holiday themed romances with a lot of snarky humor & heat! And also fans of Taryn Elliott.

Final Verdict: A story that delivers a love that sparkles & shines in all the ways that matter!

Favorite Quotes

She sucked in all the air in the room. And it still wasn’t enough. Her body trembled as he kept the constant circular pressure. The safe warmth was gone, leaving her raging inside. She searched out for something to grab, anything to hold on to. Fisting the blankets, she pushed back against him. Tears leaked from the corners of her eyes as she sobbed through the tearing release. His name was a keening cry ripped from her lungs.

She sobbed into his shoulder. It was just the only way for all the pressure and the pleasure to release from her. He buried his forehead into her shoulder as he panted against her. His body still sought refuge in hers. His thrusts grew into a madness that didn’t seem to know how to blow itself out.
She clamped her legs around his hips and held on to him as they finally both broke into too many pieces to ever comprehend.

He plunged inside her. Ocean-scented sex curled around them. Her fingernails bit into his shoulders as she rode him harder. The way she sobbed his name with the racking shudders that chased her orgasm kicked him into the beyond.

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

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by mvbookreviewer

Requested Review: Blood Avenged by Gabrielle Bisset

Format: E-bookbloodavenged.jpg
Read with: iBooks for iPad
Length: Novel
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Series: Sons of Navarus, #1
Publisher: Self-Published
Hero: Vasilije
Heroine: Sasa Lambert
Sensuality: 4
Date of Publication: December 11, 2011
Started On: July 2, 2013
Finished On: July 3, 2013

Hero: Vasilije is a 400 year old vampire; powerful and ruthless with a hidden streak of kindness for those whom he chooses. Vasilije is lonely and restless though it would take a wooden stake through his heart for him to admit the fact – if ever.

Heroine: 27 year old Sasa Lambert has been taking care of her ailing mother so much so that she hasn’t had any time to worry about anything beyond that. Sasa is willing to do pretty much anything if it means helping alleviate the pain her mother is going through.

Storyline: Blood Avenged is the 1st book in the Sons of Navarus series. A run in an old nemesis of Vasilije stirs up trouble which has him turning up in New Orleans to hunt down the killer of one of his vampires. And thats where he runs into Sasa, the human who tempts, infuriates & comforts him on a level no one has in a long, long while.

Setting: Blood Avenged takes place for the most part in New Orleans and is told from the viewpoints of both Vasilije and Sasa.

Likes: Vasilije makes for an intriguing vampire hero. He is this intricate mix of ruthlessness with an inherent kindness that shines through him at the oddest moments. Hell hath no fury like a sire whose vampire has been killed and that’s exactly what Vasilije is and of course the reaction his nemesis expects from him. Vasilije is someone who keeps his emotions close to his chest, something a little bit more difficult to do around a woman like Sasa. I truly loved the fact that Vasilije stayed true to his character even till the end of the book.

Sasa might have started out on the wrong footing but she does try her darnedest to  make things right. Her vulnerability when it comes to Vasilije is one that she continually questions and the only saving grace for her is the fact that even Vasilije doesn’t seem to fare off any better.

Overall, I liked the easy style of writing that drew me in and I am definitely going to delve into the next set of books in the series.

Dislikes: None.

Recommended for: Fans of vampire romances and heroes with a bit of a ruthless streak in them.

Final Verdict: An exciting debut that definitely has whetted my appetite for more!

Favorite Quotes

Desperate to have him inside her, she pulled his mouth to hers and flicked her tongue again over the tip of one fang. In the dark, she was blind to his reaction but every other sense screamed to her that she wouldn’t have to wait a second longer for him to give her what she craved.
With no warning, he thrust into her, filling the empty space completely and taking her breath away.

Sasa stared up at him with wide eyes. “Please tell me you put some kind of spell or something on me. Tell me there’s a reason why every time you’re this close to me I want you more than I’ve ever wanted any other man.”
Her words hit him deep inside and made his cock stiffen hard as a rock. The thought of being inside her right then made his mind race with possibilities. Unable to stop himself, he dipped his head down to let his mouth softly touch hers and slid his tongue between her lips.

In a blur, Vasilije had her hands pinned above her head and was tearing her skirt and panties from her body. Before she knew it, his clothes had vanished and his cock was pressed against her entrance. Seconds later, he thrust his body into hers.
God, she didn’t want to want him like this. She didn’t want to enjoy the sound of his groans so full of desire each time he rammed his cock into her. She didn’t want to love the feel of his mouth, devouring her passion with a need that matched her own.
But she did. She wanted every inch of him, every moment of him, every touch of him.
Her body burned for everything he was.

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

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by mvbookreviewer

ARC Review: Life of the Party by Kate Davies

Format: E-booklifeoftheparty
Read with: Bluefire Reader for iPad
Length: Novella
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Series: Girls Most Likely To…, #3
Publisher: Carina Press
Hero: Jeremy Wright
Heroine: Tess Bonham
Sensuality: 4
Date of Publication: July 8, 2013
Started On: July 1, 2013
Finished On:July 1, 2013

Hero: Jeremy Wright moves to Silverton as the hotel manager & finds that he has a reason to stay in the woman he befriends and has crushed on for a long while.

Heroine: Tess Bonham is known as the ‘Life of the Party’, not because she has partied hard but rather the opposite. She’s the one who organises and arranges events and the one everyone depends upon; sometimes to the extent of taking advantage of her.

Storyline: Life of the Party is the 3rd and final book in the Girls Most Likely To… series by Kate Davies. The story revolves around Tess and her hot and wild affair which begins as a friends-with-benefits arrangement, or so she thinks. Little does Tess know that Jeremy has a whole lot of other plans for that involves her that stretches into a long, long while. 

Setting: Life of the Party is set in the small town of Silverton and is told from both Tess and Jeremy’s points of view.

Likes: By far, Life of the Party is my favourite from the series. Main reason being that I loved both Tess and Jeremy, perhaps because they’d both been around a bit in the previous books and I felt like I knew them somehow. Kate has done a wonderful job in creating a believable sense of connection between Jeremy and Tess and I couldn’t have asked for more in a novel of this length.

Jeremy is the kind of hero I love best. He has a wicked sense of humour that got to me right from the very beginning. Though younger than Tess, Jeremy seems very mature and though has been hurt before doesn’t bring along all those nightmares into his relationship with Tess. I am a goner for a hero who utters the endearment ‘sweetheart’ and I found myself practically swooning every time Jeremy flashed that wicked grin of his and uttered hot dirty talk that revved up more than Tess’s engines.

Tess is quite the loveable character in her own right. I loved the fact that she’s the sort of person who goes above and beyond for the people that she cares about. Her self esteem requires a bit of a boost which Jeremy certainly helps along with and I found the way Tess was worried she might mess things up with Jeremy so endearing and relatable! And I loved, loved, loved the way Jeremy brought to life the wicked side of the otherwise prim, proper and conservative Tess.

The fact that Jeremy and Tess can be themselves around each other and still want each other to the extent they do; that’s what made this book a winner in my opinion.

Dislikes: None.

Recommended for: Fans of Kate Davies; fans of the series & fans of older women-younger hero romances.

Final Verdict: Jeremy, oh dear Jeremy. You’ve made me a believer of dirty talkin’.

Favorite Quotes

A grin spread across his face.
“C’mere.”
“Right here?” She looked around, heat crawling up her neck. The sounds of the pub employees moving around outside clearly filtered into the little room.
“Right here, right now.” He held out his hand and she took it, hoping her trembling fingers wouldn’t give her nervousness away. “I’ve been wanting to do this all day.”
He tugged her closer, bringing their bodies into contact, and wrapped his arm around her waist, holding her own hand behind her. Then he lowered his head and kissed her.

“Jeremy,” she said, her voice pleased. “When did you get—”
Her sentence cut off as he pulled her out the door into the alley behind the pub. Turning her around, he pressed her up against the rough brick exterior, stepped between her legs and kissed her.
Within moments, he was achingly, ragingly hard. He rocked into her, letting her feel how much he wanted her, and she moaned into his mouth. He slipped a hand under her thigh, urging her leg up, and she wrapped it around him willingly. They were as close as they could get without losing articles of clothing, and he sure as hell resented the fabric that separated them.

Finally, finally, he moved between her legs, raising her up with both hands beneath her gorgeous ass, and slid all the way home.
They both groaned at the sensation, and he had to stop for a moment, buried to the hilt, as he fought off a too-soon orgasm. It was everything he’d been waiting for—hot and tight and so, so wet. He dropped his forehead to her shoulder and breathed her in. Then he began to move.
Slowly at first, the drag and press of each inch waking nerve endings that had been long dormant.

With the lift of a shoulder, he headed toward his office. “Come on, let’s take a look at the schedule.”
The minute she was inside his office, he had the door shut and Tess crowded up against it. Her hair, so neat and tidy in that auburn topknot, started to slip and loosen. Something inside Jeremy did the same. He kissed her, long and slow, and it wasn’t until she damn near whimpered that he finally pulled away.

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

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by mvbookreviewer

ARC Review: Mine to Take by Cynthia Eden

Format: E-bookminetotake
Read with: iBooks for iPad
Length: Novel
Genre: Contemporary Romantic Suspense
Series: Standalone
Publisher: Self-Published
Hero: Trace Weston
Heroine: Skye Sullivan
Sensuality: 4
Date of Publication: June 17, 2013
Started On: June 29, 2013
Finished On: June 30, 2013

Hero: Meet Trace Weston, a man that oozes danger and sex appeal in lethal doses. When he walks into a room, everyone knows. Men are wary of that barely concealed wildness inside of him that has never been fully tamed. When he is on the hunt for the woman who has always been able to mess with his head and make him go uber possessive; then be on the look out. Because Trace is a man who will go down fighting for the woman he loves, the woman who had made all other women pale in comparison since he turned 17 and their worlds had collided that one fateful night.

Heroine: Skye Sullivan, the renowned prima ballerina who harbors a deep and undeniable longing for the man who taught her how destructive a force love and lust can be and left her broken in pieces. Skye has done her darnedest to forget and move on; but then some men are never forgotten are they?

Storyline: Skye is being watched and stalked and she fears that the next time HE finds her, she would never make it out alive. When everyone else refuses to listen to her fears and labels her as merely conjuring stuff out of thin air, Skye turns to the one man she thought she would never ask help from. The minute Skye walks into the plush offices of Weston Securities and sets eyes on an older and a more lethally appealing version of the man who broke her heart, all the feelings that had barely been kept under a leash pulsates back to life back in full force.

There is no turning away from the hunger nor the desire to possess and be possessed. And with the danger relentlessly closing in on her in all directions, Skye has to ask herself the question whether she has entrusted her life to the right man; a man who can still make her or break her if she lets him.

Time Period: Mine to Take has a contemporary setting and takes place in Chicago and New York and is told from both Trace and Skye’s points of view.

Likes: There are some authors who can induce instant lust with their male lead characters and Cynthia Eden is one of them. Trace Weston makes you sit up and take notice the second he enters the equation and there is no going back – ever. He is the uber-alpha type of hero that you envision would one day walk into your life and take you to heaven and beyond. He is the kind of hero that women would throw themselves at because of that intense vibe he exudes, because a woman just knows when a man who can turn her head around walks in.

The way Trace takes care of Skye and is besotted with her is one worth reveling in. I loved the little bits of the shared history between Trace and Skye tucked into the story that made the intense connection that is between them seem that much more real. With the kind of heat that singes and you can’t get enough of, Cynthia Eden has penned another winner with Mine to Take.

This is by no means a light and fluffy read and nor a predictable one. Figuring out who the stalker is takes some doing. There are elements of abuse and a bit of a dark edge to Trace and the whole story that unfolds. I loved the heat, the darkness and the love that is so raw and elemental that is between Trace and Skye. Perhaps a love like their might never materialize in real life but its always a wondrous thing to read about.

I loved the fact that this story captivated me enough to keep burning the midnight oil even when I had work the next day. You can measure a book’s worthiness by how much you are willing to forgo sleep when you know you will regret it the next day.

Dislikes: None.

Recommended for: Those who love dark heroes, hotter than sin sex and fast paced suspense. This is one book that you will not be able to put down.

Final Verdict: Dark & edgy with a passion that sears and a love that defies everything; Mine to Take is a must-read!

Favorite Quotes

His name was a husky murmur from her. Denial and need all tied together.
Her lips were too close. She smelled too good. Sweet vanilla. Good enough to damn well eat.
He took her mouth. Not gently. Not softly. Because he’d never been that kind of guy. Trace knew he wasn’t the tender lover type.
He’d fought for every single thing that he had. He’d keep fighting.

Her bra was tossed across the room.
The cool air hit her nipples, making them go even tighter.
Then his mouth was on her. His mouth wasn’t cool. It was hot. Seeming to singe her and the rasp of his tongue against her nipples felt so good.
She was wet.  She could feel the wetness on her panties, and Skye wanted them gone. She wanted Trace thrusting into her—
“I’ll let your hands go, but don’t move them. I get to touch. I get to taste.”  His hands eased away from hers. “I get to take.”

Release was near, so near—
“Tell me, Skye,” he demanded. A dark note had entered his voice. One that should have made her hesitate. Possessive… fierce… “Only me.”
She hovered on the brink of release.  “Trace, I need more—“
“I’ll give you every fucking thing.”
A zipper hissed down.  He lowered his body against hers.
He thrust into her.
Not easy. Not tentative.
He drove deep, filling her completely, and she stopped being on the brink.

He was hot and hard and strong in her hand.  Moisture gleamed on the head of his arousal, and she knew that just a few more—
“Not that way,” he snarled, the words dark and hard. “In you.”
Her panties ripped.  He lifted her hips.  Her skirt swirled around them. He lifted her—and thrust deep.

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

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by mvbookreviewer

Review: Avenger by Julia Sykes

Format: E-bookavenger
Read with: Kindle for iPad
Length: Novel
Genre: Contemporary Erotic Romance
Series: Impossible, #3
Publisher: Self-Published
Hero: Sean Reynolds
Heroine: Claudia Ellers
Sensuality: 4
Date of Publication: May 3, 2013
Started On: May 9, 2013
Finished On: May 9, 2013

Hero: Sean Reynolds, a dominant alpha, whose character is shrouded in shades of grey that makes it difficult to sum him up without giving away the story.

Heroine: Dr. Claudia Ellers, the submissive to Sean; who is unwittingly drawn into the sheer drama and nightmare that her life explodes into when her life crosses paths with that of Sean.

Storyline: Avenger is the 3rd and final book in the Impossible trilogy. Avenger is a culmination of the events that pushes Claudia out of her comfort zone and gives Sean a chance to live a life of his own choosing. Its the story of two people who eventually make it even with insurmountable odds stacked against them.

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

Likes: Julia Sykes definitely knows what she’s doing by writing BDSM themed erotic stories with a dangerous edge to them. I loved all three books in this trilogy as they offered a way to slake my hunger for a hero who is not your usual run of the mill variety.

Julia is an author who can make your heart wrench with grief and sorrow one minute and take you on a wild ride of passion and incessant longing the next that its always one hell of a ride to get on. And I definitely wanted more!

Dislikes: Though some of the events that took place in the final story seemed a trifle bit rushed to me, I still enjoyed the story that unfolded and the happily ever after it sent my way.

Recommended for: Fans of Julia Sykes, fans of BDSM themed erotica and fans of rougher around the edges heroes who makes makes you swoon; this one’s for you!

Final Verdict: Sean Reynolds is a guilty pleasure not to be missed out on!

Favorite Quotes

My nipples hardened and I moaned into his mouth, arching up into him as I silently begged him to take me.  His tongue swept into my mouth, and I welcomed it.  His fist tangled in my hair, angling my head back so that he could take me more deeply.  Calloused fingertips lightly traced the curve of my neck, the roughness of his skin contrasting deliciously with his feather-light strokes.  Hot lines of pleasure shot to my breasts and then lower, hitting my core.  My inner walls contracted as I craved for him to fill me, to slake the growing need that was sweetly tormenting me.

He shoved me hard, and the wind was momentarily knocked from my lungs at the impact with the mattress.  Now he was the one straddling my hips, his weight pinning me down where he wanted me.  That cocky, lopsided grin that I loved so much was back in place, his turmoil and grief absent from his eyes, overcome by that dark flame that flickered in their green depths.  The sight of it made me shudder in delight as I realized that he accepted my words; he had let go of his feelings of uncertainty, of self-loathing.  He was embracing the sexual dynamic that gave both of us such unsurpassed pleasure.  He was accepting himself.

Then his teeth bit sharply into my earlobe, tugging at it.  I gasped as the slight, unexpected pain further stoked my need.  His lips were sucking away the pain, this hot tongue soothing the place where he had bitten me.  I writhed beneath him as he awoke yet another erogenous zone that I had never known existed.  His low, satisfied chuckle rumbled through me as he skillfully manipulated my body, drawing forth my submission with every touch.

His harsh expression told me that he could no longer hold himself back.  I watched as the overwhelming possessive need that he had described took over.  All vestiges of his careful self-control vanished as he drove into me to the hilt in one thrust.  My sex was still hyper-sensitive from my orgasm, and I let out a strangled cry as pleasure washed over me again.  I came immediately, my muscles fluttering around him and heightening his own pleasure.  He let out a low growl as he took me roughly, a primal, animalistic urge driving him as he pounded into me.

I could feel him beginning to jerk within me, heralding his own completion.  He leaned into me and bit down on my hardened nipple.  The pain sent me over the edge a third time, and my entire body began to shake.  The motion caused me to jerk against the cuffs, but the pain of their unyielding bite only heightened my ecstasy.  Sean’s howl mingled with my delighted scream as we found our ultimate pleasure at the same time, our bodies in perfect tandem with one another.

Purchase Links: Amazon

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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

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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

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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

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