Category Archives: Reviews
#Review: Susceptible to Him by Lynn Burke: A Stellar 5 Star Debut! #Romance #Contemporary #RotG @EvernightPublishing
Susceptible to Him
by Lynn Burke
Description: Lia Risso walked in on her fiancé and three other women on Valentine’s Day. Two celibate years later, her roommate creates a profile for Lia on a dating website—without her knowledge—and sets up a date. On Valentine’s Day.
Ryan Walsh, a self-made millionaire and libertine, refuses to commit to any one woman. Tossed from foster home to foster home as a child, Ryan is on guard against becoming vulnerable ever again.
One dinner…one night of dancing and flirting with the attraction between them, puts both Lia and Ryan in danger of heart break.
They have a choice—open themselves to the possibility of hurt or walk away, never knowing what might have been.
My Review: A STELLAR 5 STAR DEBUT!!
Lia and Ryan… *sigh*
Let me start by saying I really enjoyed this RotG debut from Lynn Burke. Excellent descriptions, stellar story, and I am now anxious for more of the Risso family.
Lia Risso catches her boyfriend in a threesome, shaking her to the core. Her well meaning friend, in an effort to get Lia “back out there” signs her up for on a dating site. This is where Ryan comes in. He, of course, is the date she plans to politely enjoy before sending the gentleman on his way. Ryan is everything I like in a guy, charming, very boy next door…just what Lia needs.
Even when she doesn’t realize it.
I don’t do spoilers in my reviews, so I will leave the rest to you to find out. I devoured this one in an hour, and loved every distracted second of it. Just perfect for waiting in the doc’s office waiting room. Ms. Burke’s style is sensual and romantic without the high raunchy heat. Classy. Lovely and engrossing.
I highly recommend you get in on this series now, as I hear there is some HOTness to come from the rest of the Risso clan.
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About the Author: Lynn Burke is a full time mother, voracious gardener, and scribbler of spicy romance stories. A country bumpkin turned Bay Stater, she enjoys her chowdah and Dunkin Donuts when not trying to escape the reality of city life.
Her current work, the Risso Familly Novellas, revolves around four siblings from Boston’s North End.
#Review: For the Love of Murphy: A Sweet Romance Anthology #NewRelease #Giveaway #BlogTour
For the Love of Murphy by Lisa A. Adams
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
What a wonderful anthology this was to read. The stories are sweet and light, many of the characters, adorable in their bad-luck, clumsiness.
The anthology starts with No Wrong Turns by Lisa A. Adams — a story where the main character is just starting out on her own. Leaving the protections of home and family to strike out and hopefully succeed. Like all the stories in this anthology, a series of vehicular mishaps and a lost wallet bring the MCs, Jessica and Sean together. Adorable.
Falling for You by Michelle Ziegler is the tale of a single lady, Darci, who has the worst luck imaginable finding a suitable match in the world of online profiles and blind dates. Of all the stories, this one held the most humor, and there were places where I found myself nodding in agreement or laughing out loud. A fun read.
Coffee and Cufflinks was probably my favorite of the bunch. Being an office geek, I was able to really enjoy this story about the corporate world and dealing with a client who is less than ideal. The studly water bearing hero, Daren, sounds yummy!!
A Slippery Slope — I will reserve my thoughts on this one, as I wrote it under my mainstream pen name. Suffice to say, it is good 😛
The anthology closes with The Shamrock Incident by London Saint James, the perfect ending to this sweet collection. With the main character working in her florist shop during the St. Paddy’s Day rush, Marissa and Treys lives literally crash together, and the romance begins to fly. I really enjoyed the authentic feel of this story, and I really felt connected to the main character, Marissa. Excellent writing, and a wonderful ending — to the story, and the anthology.
I highly recommend this one to anyone who enjoys quirky, real feeling romance stories written on the sweet side. And, I am happy to report the heat rating on this one is low enough I was actually able to recommend it to my mother. Hooray!
For the Love of Murphy
Jessica Brannah is escaping from her last heartbreak with a loaded car and a new address. But, when Murphy’s Law finds her stranded in a back country town, she realizes there’s no outrunning love.
Falling For You by Michelle Ziegler
Darci’s ready to move on. Too bad the dating pool stinks. Until, a ghost from her past resurfaces—the man she missed out on in college.
Andrew was the one man she’d always loved, but neither of them ever made a move. But, old feelings aren’t the only thing resurfacing of late. Darci’s ex comes crawling back at the most inappropriate time, and with all the testosterone flying, she might not end up with either man.
Coffee and Cufflinks by Annabelle Blume
Fresh out of a failed relationship and exhausted by a constant barrage of fiascos at work, Olivia Johnson doesn’t see the man of her dreams standing right in front of her. She tells herself the morning coffee meet-ups with Daren are nothing but coincidence, but even she can’t deny his unequivocal attractiveness. When a night entertaining clients takes a turn for the worst, and Daren shows up where she least expects him, failure starts to look more like fate.
A Slippery Slope by Rebecca Hart
Anne Montgomery is psyched for her girl’s only weekend, despite her friends’ choice of vacation locale—the snowy slopes of Harris Peak Ski Resort—where someone as notoriously accident prone as she has no business being. When Murphy’s Law finally catches up with her, Anne is forced to consider there may be times when it pays to be unlucky.
The Shamrock Incident by London Saint James
Florist, Marissa Carmichael isn’t usually a klutz, but she’s in a hurry and having a bad day. In her haste, she loses her balance and tumbles from the back room of her shop, arms flailing. Her less than graceful entrance halted by a headfirst crash into a display case chock full of silk flowers.
Trey Cleary didn’t think his day could get any worse, until he finds. himself picking the side view mirror of his BMW up from the ground. On a mission to do something about it, he locates the flower shop matching the name on the back of the van that mangled his ‘baby’. But, his car is forgotten when a beautiful woman bursts into the room like an out of control whirling dervish, and takes one mother of a wipeout into the shop’s counter. Coming to her aid brings out the hero in him like no one he’s ever encountered, and leaves him with a need to know more.
For Marissa and Trey, this just might be the one time it pays to be unlucky.
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#Review: Molly’s Sexual Curse by Sapphire Kande #erotic #BDSM
Molly’s Sexual Curse by Sapphire Kande
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I really enjoyed this erotic paranormal short story. It had a bit of everything — suspense, magic, romance, a dash of dark. Oh, yeah, and did I mention BDSM? You all know how I feel about that. 🙂
I don’t do spoilers in my reviews, so I won’t get into the plot, but I will say that I thought the storyline was unique and well written. Ms. Kande gives the characters dimension and life.
Would recommend this to anyone who enjoys a BDSM romance, and for me, all the better because it had elements of the paranormal as well. A Win/Win.
Tristian…yum.
Will have to check out more from this author.
**Received a copy of this eBook in exchange for an honest review.
Book #Review: Need by Stephanie Lawton (@Steph_Lawton) @InkspellPublish #New Adult
Since this is a NA title, I thought some of you might be interested in this title, and the review done by my “alter-ego”. Enjoy!
Blurb: Isaac Laroche is cursed. All he wants to do is hide out and feel sorry for himself. Never mind that he got caught sleeping with his seventeen-year-old piano student, or that he abandoned her when the truth was exposed.
Isaac’s feisty high school sweetheart has different plans. Heather Swann has returned to their hometown of Mobile, Alabama, to regroup after breaking up with her troll of a fiancé. She’s restless and looking for a diversion, but she bites off more than she can chew when she sets her sights on rehabilitating Isaac with her unorthodox sexual, mental, and physical plans.
The two quickly reconnect, but their happiness is threatened by family secrets, old vendettas and the death of a beloved father-figure.
Can Heather handle Isaac’s baggage, or will her own come back to haunt them both?
My rating: 4.5 of 5 stars for this decidedly…
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#Review: The Trouble With Nightingale by Amaleen Ison (@amaleenison) #YALit #Horror
Okay folks…I am going to be honest with you here. I have NO CLUE why when I was working on my blog I came across the post below as a “DRAFT”. I really thought I had posted this a long time ago. Maybe I did and this will be a repost. *shrugs* Who knows.
Anyway, here is a review I did for a fantastic YA horror novella I read written by an author I consider a friend, aside from thinking she is beyond talented. *gush gush* 😛
The Trouble With Nightingale by Amaleen Ison
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
What a wonderful short story!
I gave this one a read yesterday while on the train to NYC for work and I just LOVED it. It had been on my Nook waiting for me to find some time to read it for months and I am so glad I finally got the chance. The characters were vibrant and realistic, even in the context of a paranormal type tale. A completely unique twist on the dart arts and witchcraft.
Ms Ison has a gift for descriptive tales or the supernatural, and The Trouble with Nightingale is no different. I fell in love with the characters, most especially Fabian. Just too cute for words. I don’t put spoilers in my reviews, so I won’t get into too much detail on him, but I bet if you give it a read, you will agree with me.
I highly recommend this for anyone interested in paranormal tales appropriate to a YA audience and those who enjoy reading stories about the occult or witchcraft.
Review: Bite by Jenny Lyn (@JennyLynwrites) #erotic #romance #eBook
Bite by Jenny Lyn
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Let me start by saying I really loved the cover of this erotic short when I had the opportunity to check it out recently. I have a weakness for men in aprons and an obsession with Gordon Ramsey, so this one really piqued my interest.
I was not disappointed. The story follows culinary disaster, Elle Connor to a cooking class run by a the owner of BITE, a very popular local restaurant. Kevin also happens to host a local TV cooking segment that Elle is obsessed with — and not because she cares anything about cooking.
I don’t do spoilers in my reviews, so I will stay away from the broader plot points and stick to my overall impressions. I found the dialog witty and the relationship between Elle and Kevin sweet and steamy in all the right places. While I think the story could have used a bit more in the way of tightening through the editing process, I found the author’s voice appealing and the characters likable and “real”.
A great steamy short perfect for a single sitting with enough romance and steam to keep this erotic romance dish tasty and satisfying.
Really enjoyed this one.
Frozen Heart by Annabelle Blume
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I brought this novella on the plane with me when I flew to California and I have to say, reading it made the time fly by. Before I knew it, I was at the end of the story and looking for more.
Im not one to give spoilers in reviews, so I will stay away from anything too specific, but will say that I loved the descriptions and Ms, Blume really did a spectacular job of describing the dystopian world Cressenda lives in. I was hooked from the first page, and really enjoyed the interactions between her and Beckett as the story unfolded. The romance developed nicely and I never felt any lags in the story or action. A really stellar read.
I will definitely be looking for more from this author.
Review: The Siren by Tiffany Reisz (@tiffanyreisz) #erotic #bookreview
The Siren by Tiffany Reisz
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
After reading a few of Tiffany Reisz’ previous “Original Sinners” stories, I thought I had a pretty good idea what to expect before I even picked up The Siren. Boy, I was wrong. (A common theme when I assume anything with respect to Ms. Reisz) While it has the BDSM elements and dark romantic style I have come to expect, this tale was much more than that.
The story follows MC, Nora Sutherlin, an erotic writer, who seeks the help of editor, Zach Easton to get her book ready for publication (in six weeks). He is unimpressed with her work ethic and unaware of her “night job”. Her young assistant, Wes, however, is. And he doesn’t like it one bit.
I’m not one to reveal plots or give spoilers in reviews, so I will stop there with respect to storyline. Suffice to say, things get a bit complicated.
What I will say is Tiffany Reisz has a gift for description and dialog. Her characters jump from the page and the story breathes with realism and life. The accolades she is receiving for this novel are well deserved.
This is a must read for erotic romance fans, especially those who still need to get the nasty taste of the mediocre “50 Shades” out of their systems.
Book Review: Charlinder’s Walk by Alyson Miers #dystopian (@novelpublicity)
Charlinder’s Walk by Alyson Miers
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
I would preface this review by stating that I have not read a great deal of dystopian fiction, nor am I a huge fan of futuristic tales, but Charlinder’s Walk wasn’t quite what I expected it would be going into the novel. The story is presented with a more fantasy feel, than a sci-fi futuristic style, which I did appreciate and respond well to.
Charlinder’s walk is the tale of a teacher in 2130, Charlinder, who decides to embark on a journey to learn the origins of the plague that ravaged the planet in 2012. He is rather unprepared for what he might find, but intent to learn all he can about the past and the causes of the plague with the hope he, and his people may find a way to keep it from happening again.
Ms Miers writing style is easy to read and understand, while not losing any of it’s descriptive qualities. Some of the longer diary sequences in the novel I found a bit distracting — not for their content or the times when the author breaks to them, but the large sections of italics text were a little tough on my eyes and I found each time they popped up, I was jarred a bit from the depths of the tale and had to work my way back into it.
Im not one to post spoilers in my reviews, so I won’t go heavy into the plotline, but would state that the story explores Charlinder’s voyage to adulthood in a world much bigger than he’d ever expected when he started his trek. It also touches on religious ideals, gender roles, and holistic healing methods. All interesting stuff.
I would suggest Charlinder’s Walk without reservation to any dystopian fiction fans, or anyone interested in a well written coming of age tale with some really interesting and unique plot twists.
Novel Publicity Blog Tour Notes:
Wanna win a $50 gift card or an autographed copy of Charlinder’s Walk? Well, there are two ways to enter…
- Leave a comment on my blog. One random commenter during this tour will win a $50 gift card. For the full list of participating blogs, visit the official Charlinder’s Walk tour page.
- Enter the Rafflecopter contest! I can’t host Rafflecopter here, but visit the Official Tour Page to enter.
About the author:
Alyson Miers was born into a family of compulsive readers and thought it would be fun to get on the other side of the words. She attended Salisbury University, where she majored in English Creative Writing for some reason, and minored in Gender Studies. In 2006, she did the only thing a 25-year-old with a B.A. in English can do to pay the rent: joined the Peace Corps. At her assignment of teaching English in Albania, she learned the joys of culture shock, language barriers and being the only foreigner on the street, and got Charlinder off the ground. She brought home a completed first draft in 2008 and, between doing a lot of other stuff such as writing two other books, she managed to ready it for publication in 2011. She regularly shoots her mouth off at her blog, The Monster’s Ink, when she isn’t writing fiction or holding down her day job. She lives in Maryland with her computer and a lot of yarn. Connect with Alyson on her website,blog, Facebook,Twitter or GoodReads.
Get Charlinder’s Walk on Amazon or Barnes & Noble.
Book Review: Immersed in Pleasure by Tiffany Reisz (@tiffanyreisz)
Immersed in Pleasure by Tiffany Reisz
My rating: 3,5 of 5 stars
3.5 stars for a unique, romantic, modern day tale with an almost fairy tale feel.
After my first foray into Tiffany Reisz’ writing with SEVEN DAY LOAN, I thought I knew what to expect with IMMERSED IN PLEASURE. I was pretty wrong. Where the former was dark and sultry, this short was sweet and light.
I’ve not read a Spice Brief before, so I don’t know if they are all about the same length, but this was a bit short for me to really sink myself into the characters enough to be emotionally vested in whether or not the main characters, Derek and Xenia actually “make it”. More sweet and romantic than sultry or erotic, I think the length may have done a disservices to the readers investment in the characters. Despite that, this was a well spent hour or two and I enjoyed the twist on the traditional Little Mermaid tale.
I loved Fathoms, and quite frankly would love to visit a club like that at some point in my lifetime. I could totally see there being a ritzy themed club like that in LA or NYC.
I’d have given it a solid 4 stars, if not for the super short length to it, as Tiffany Reisz’ ability to weave words is something I, as an author aspire to.
Bex Book Nook 