ARC: Doll Parts – Cara Dee Book Review (The Game #4) + Excerpt

Synopsis:

Get ready for a funhouse experience that doesn’t belong in an amusement park. But clowns and balloons don’t turn this scorching hot BDSM romance into a wild ride. That’s all Noa, Cam, Lucian, and KC.

I have the best boyfriend in the whole world, but there’s one thing I won’t tell him. It’s that I don’t believe in absolute happiness anymore. Not with the cards we’ve been dealt. I mean, come on! Why do we fall for people who don’t want us back? While he’s been pining after Lucian, one of the Masters in his kink community, I’m the lovesick monster-puppy Little who can’t forget my former stepdad KC. Or the kinky porn I once found on his computer…but that’s beside the point!

It’s complicated, to be honest. I try not to think about it. I have Cameron, and I love him so damn much. Why can’t we try to make it on our own? Why does he want us to find a Top that’s just ours? It won’t work. Our stupid hearts refuse to move on.

What’s even stupider is that Cameron insists we seek out a Dom for our relationship in the very kink community where we can find both KC and Lucian.

Ohhh crap. I think he’s got a plan.

The Game Series is a BDSM series where romance meets the reality of kink. Sometimes we fall for someone we don’t match with, sometimes vanilla business gets in the way of kinky pleasure, and sometimes we have to compromise and push ourselves to overcome trauma and insecurities. No matter what, two things are certain. This is not a perfect world, and life never turns out the way you planned.

The Game Series | Book 4 | Standalone | D/s | Daddy/lb | Fear play | Objectification

Available in Kindle Unlimited: https://readerlinks.com/l/2311033

Catch up with the series here: https://readerlinks.com/l/1581265/55

Review:

I’ve enjoyed all of the books in this series so far so I was excited to hear about the release of Doll Parts!

I’m fairly familiar with Cara Dee’s books and I know they tend to be unique, sexy and also very cute. While I have really enjoyed the other stories in this series, I have to say that Doll Parts wasn’t as big of a hit for me as the others were. Nevertheless, it was enjoyable and I’m certainly interested in reading more in this series!

Doll Parts was hot as hell but I wanted more from the romance!

First of all, I liked the storyline. It seemed like it would make for an exciting story with that bit of a taboo element tossed in and some second chance romance and it definitely was exciting but it fell short in the development. Unfortunately, I didn’t have any connection with the characters or feel a genuine connection between them.

Out of the four characters, Noa was only slightly more developed than all the others in my opinion but that left me wanting to know more about Cam, Lucian and KC. When you’re writing a book where the relationship has several people, you want to really take the time to flesh each and every one of them out so that the reader can get a sense of who they are and build a connection with them but that part seemed to be glossed over because I felt like I missed out on a lot. It was kind of taken for granted that the history between KC & Noa and Lucian & Cam would speak for themselves and tell us everything we needed to know about the guys and their relationship but that didn’t work for me. As a result, I never was able to full connect with them.

I also felt like the romance was a little hard to buy into. I could understand the attraction between them and affection/friendship but love felt like a bit of a stretch. Things moved really quickly and I just never felt like they took the time to fall for one another, rather it seemed like everyone already loved each other in an insta-love kind of way and nothing actually evolved besides them officially getting together. I don’t know how else to explain it, not enough happened. It all just kind of blended together for me.

My other thing is with the relationship between the four of them. I never quite felt like it was an MMMM romance, it felt more like a bunch of couples. I don’t think enough time was spent developing the relationship between KC & Cam, KC & Lucian and Lucian & Noa. As a whole, I was just a little disappointed with the characters and their romance.

I did however like the lightheartedness of the story and the steam which was really well done of course. It wasn’t a bad book by any means, it just wasn’t as interesting as I was expecting it to be. Honestly, at this point I’m noticing that the books in this series are kind of blending into one another so that might be my problem. They all just seem too similar and follow a similar pattern.

Steamy and sweet Doll Parts is a fun and quick read but it just didn’t quite meet my expectations.

Overall, I had a nice time reading this book and it was fun to read the cute and sassy banter but I was little disappointed that I didn’t love it. In the end, it ended up being an OK read but not much more than that. It needed a lot more character and relationship development for me to have fallen head over heals with the story but I do think it’ll be a hit for many readers. I am giving Doll Parts 3.75 stars would recommend it to fans of MMMM romance with BDSM elements.

Excerpt

I couldn’t go up there, could I?
I squinted for the sun and peered up at the pale-green–painted trendy restaurant, all three stories of it, including the rooftop terrace. It was one of those restaurants that used to be an apartment building, so you had a bunch of smaller dining areas inside.
I chewed on the inside of my cheek and wondered how the hell I hadn’t connected the dots sooner.
Fuck, it was hot. I ran a hand through my hair and looked around me. The restaurant was right on the corner of a busy intersection, and the sleepy locals on their way to brunch were sharing the sidewalk with tourists.
Maybe I should text him and call it off…
“Excuse me, are you going to the munch?”
I cocked my head to the guy to my left. He was about my age, I estimated. “What if I didn’t know what a munch was?”
He grinned, and it was hot. Hot and cute. “I would’ve said never mind and hightailed it out of here,” he replied. “But I’ve been around long enough to spot someone too nervous to join an event.”
Oh. I wasn’t nervous to join an event. My very first munch, I’d been the first to arrive.
I scratched my head. “I’m stalling because I’m pretty sure I’m barging into someone else’s territory,” I admitted. “My mom’s ex-husband is kinky too.”
The guy made a yikes-face, and I felt the need to elaborate.
“I check his Instagram sometimes, and if he posts four pictures every month, one is from this place,” I explained. “Usually with a caption like ‘Luke is teaching me to post foodporn, whatever that is’ and ‘Macklin’s eggs Benedict are a bit of a religious experience.’”
I could tell I’d mentioned names the guy recognized. I was right. This was the munch of KC’s kink community. Motherfucker. I’d seen eight pictures from this place on KC’s dusty Instagram—or parts of the place. Mostly from the rooftop terrace. Maybe that was where they hosted the munch.
“You know them, don’t you?” I pressed.
The guy smiled uncertainly and shrugged slightly. “We take integrity seriously, but…”
Yeah.
“Who’s your mother’s ex-husband?”
“KC Hayles.”
He nodded once. He’d heard that name too. Then he eyed someone else, or two someones, coming up the sidewalk. They were twins. Hot-as-shit set of twins in their forties.
One of them smirked upon seeing the guy I’d been talking to. “You hidin’, Cameron?”
I observed the guy’s reaction. Cameron. A crooked grin full of mischief lit up his face. He was really fucking cute, and I didn’t usually feel attraction toward men my age. He was a bit taller than me but not much. Blue eyes.
“Does that sound like something I would do, Sir?” Cameron countered.
Definitely a submissive.
One of the twins chuckled and ruffled Cameron’s shaggy, dirty-blond hair. “See you upstairs, boy.” He spared me the quickest of glances, lifted his brow a little, maybe in curiosity, before he and his brother took the steps up to the restaurant.
Cameron turned back to me. “It’s possible you’ve stumbled upon your stepdad’s community.”
I figured. “I’ll just reschedule with the guy I was gonna meet. Thanks for letting me know.”
It wasn’t too important I met him today anyway. It was only a bite to eat to see if I was compatible to play with him and his boyfriend.
Cameron cleared his throat. “Hey, wait. If you know KC… Does that mean you know Lucian too?”
That would be a stretch. “I’ve met him a few times, sure. I wouldn’t say I know him, though.” I’d had my suspicions about Lucian—that he was kinky too. It wasn’t a surprise whatsoever to have it confirmed. He was big-time Master material. “Why? Are you together or something?”
Cameron snorted. “I wish. No, he’s with some dude who’s manipulating him like fucking whoa, and Lucian won’t see it.”
I frowned. That didn’t compute with my impression of Lucian.
“Anyway,” Cameron went on. “Here’s a crazy idea. You wanna get out of here and grab a burger or something? Your plan fell through, and I can think of better things to do than watch Lucian and his little troll.”
I stood straighter instantly. This guy wanted to hang out? Fuck yes! I could use a new friend.
“Absolutely,” I said, sticking out my hand. “I’m Noa.”
Cameron smiled, visibly relieved. “Cameron.”

About Cara

I’m often awkwardly silent or, if the topic interests me, a chronic rambler. In other words, I can discuss writing forever and ever. Fiction, in particular. The love story—while a huge draw and constantly present—is secondary for me, because there’s so much more to writing romance fiction than just making two (or more) people fall in love and have hot sex.
There’s a world to build, characters to develop, interests to create, and a topic or two to research thoroughly.
Every book is a challenge for me, an opportunity to learn something new, and a puzzle to piece together. I want my characters to come to life, and the only way I know to do that is to give them substance—passions, history, goals, quirks, and strong opinions—and to let them evolve.
I want my men and women to be relatable. That means allowing room for everyday problems and, for lack of a better word, flaws. My characters will never be perfect.
Wait…this was supposed to be about me, not my writing.
I’m a writey person who loves to write. Always wanderlusting, twitterpating, kinking, cooking, baking, and geeking. There’s time for hockey and family, too. But mostly, I just love to write.

Find Cara on social media here: https://www.caradeewrites.com/cdwlandingpage

Here are my reviews of the previous books in this series!

Top Priority

Their Boy

Breathless

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ARC: Beautiful Nightmare – Giana Darling Book Review (Dark Dream #2)

Blurb

Bianca has finally found her rightful place amid the powerful Constantines. But all is not what it seems in this glittering new world. And Tiernan Morelli refuses to give her up…

BEAUTIFUL NIGHTMARE is the final book in the Dark Dream duet by USA Today bestselling author Giana Darling.

Review

Beautiful Nightmare was a great conclusion to this thrilling duet.

I will say, it took me awhile to get through Beautiful Nightmare because unfortunately, I got distracted by so many other things but I’m glad I’m finally getting around to reviewing it. While I didn’t love Beautiful Nightmare as much as Dangerous Temptation, I did still think it was a nice way to close off Tiernan and Bianca’s duet.

For the most part everything was amazing, there were a couple of little things to note, however.

First of all, I think the storyline was super thrilling and definitely had a good amount of action. I appreciated the character development this time around and the evolution of their individual arcs but I especially liked the development of the romance. Compared to other Giana books, the progression of the romance was much quicker so I wanted to be sure to see some natural development in their relationship so that it felt authentic and not instantaneous. I was happy with the romance, for sure, it was so passionate and steamy, I loved every second.

I have to say that I agree with some other readers who felt the end was rushed. It wasn’t so bad that I felt let down but it did feel that given the build up to the end, the conflict resolution happened a bit to quickly and conveniently. I mean when I got to the last two chapters, I was like how are there only two chapters left, there needs to be more to end this right. In the end, it was a good ending, despite there being no epilogue for now, but it wasn’t as seamless as I was expecting or hoping for. Next, I usually don’t pay too much attention to this in ARCs but the typos in this book were so frequent, it couldn’t be ignored. Of course, this has been addressed by the author and the publishing company so future copies shouldn’t be affected by this issue but I think it’s still worth mentioning as it was a part of my reading experience. The further I got into the book, the more typos and errors there were and it became very apparent that minimal to no editing and proofreading had been done and it did become distracting. Not to the point where it detracted from my enjoyment but enough to catch my attention on many occasions.

Steamy, intense and full of passion, Beautiful Nightmare was a nice conclusion to the Bad Dreams duet.

Overall, Beautiful Nightware was an enjoyable read. Despite some issues, I was happy with it so I am giving it 4 stars and would recommend it to fans of age-gap or forbidden romance.


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About the Author:
Giana Darling is a USA Today Bestselling Selling Canadian romance writer who specializes in the taboo and angsty side of love and romance. She currently lives in beautiful British Columbia where she spends time riding on the back of her man’s bike, baking pies, and reading snuggled up with her cat Persephone. She loves to hear from readers so please contact her at gianadarling@gmail.com if you have any questions or comments.

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ARC: These Thorn Kisses – Saffron A. Kent Book Review (St. Mary’s Rebels #3)

Blurb

Eighteen-year-old, Bronwyn Littleton is in love with a stranger she met on a summer night a year ago.

A stranger who was tall and broad in a way that made her feel safe. He had dark blue eyes that she can’t stop drawing in her sketch book. And he had a deep, soothing voice that she can’t stop hearing in her dreams.

That’s all she knows about him though.

Until she runs into him again. At St. Mary’s School for Troubled Teenagers – an all girls reform school – where she’s trapped because of a little crime she committed in the name of her art.

Now she knows that her dream man has a name: Conrad Thorne.

She knows that his eyes are way bluer and way more beautiful than she thought. And that his face is an artist’s wonderland.

But she also knows that Conrad is her best friend’s older brother. Which means he’s completely off-limits. Not to mention, he’s the new soccer coach, which makes him off-limits times two.

What makes him off-limits times three however, and this whole scenario an epic tragedy, is that, Conrad, Wyn’s dream man, has a dream girl of his own.

And he’s as much in love with his dream girl as Wyn is in love with him…

NOTE: This is a STANDALONE set in the world of St. Mary’s.

Review

I’ve been loving this series and couldn’t wait for Wyn and Conrad’s story!

I think this was one of the books in this series that I was most anticipating and I was happy with the way it turned out. Saffron A. Kent writes angst, tension and forbidden romance so well. From start to finish, it was a fun, and cute ride with lots of steam and super sweet moments.

Wyn and Conrad were great characters!

I really liked these two. They were quite different but complemented each other well. I loved how Wyn cracked Conrad’s shell and I loved his dirty talk. Their banter was really nice and I had a great time reading their story. It was a whole lotta cute!

Full of angst and forbidden hotness, These Thorn Kisses was a great read!

Overall, I had wonderful time reading this book and thought the story was lovely. I especially loved the forbidden aspect since that’s my favorite trope! I am giving These Thorn Kisses 4.5 stars and would recommend it to fans of forbidden romance!

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ARC: Secrets & Lies – Ella Frank & Brooke Blaine Book Review

Blurb

I wasn’t supposed to want him. The bronzed god lying by my pool in tight shorts that left little to the imagination. But I was only human, and with the temptation constantly within reach, it was only a matter of time before I could no longer resist. 

It was wrong. I knew that. 

He was my son’s age.

Hell, he was my son’s friend.
 
But even worse…I was his teacher.

Secrets & Lies is a standalone teacher-student MM romance from USA Today bestselling authors Brooke Blaine & Ella Frank.



Get your copy today!

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2ZDTzLq
Amazon Worldwide: http://mybook.to/SecandLies
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Review

Gah, Secrets & Lies was yummy!!

I am no stranger to these lovely ladies’ writing and I just know that anytime I pick up one of their stories, I’m going to be blown away. Secrets & Lies was no different, it was addictive, sexy, fun and oh so satisfying. I really didn’t want it to end, I was so hooked.

This was one for the books, I loved everything about it!

I’ve read nearly every book these authors have published, individually and together and I can honestly say, Secrets & Lies is one of my new favorites. The characters were so easy to love. Their romance was steamy and forbidden which is my absolute favorite and I just ate it up. I flew through it and could not put it down! I’m definitely feeling like this is a book I’ll reread over and over again because I just had so much fun with the story.

Steamy, forbidden and entertaining, Secrets & Lies was one of my top reads of the year!

Overall, I had such a great time reading this book and I wish it would have been longer. It was just so good, I wanted more more more. I am giving Secrets & Lies 5 stars and would recommend it to fans of m/m romance with a forbidden twist!

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ARC – Lessons in Sin – Pam Godwin Book Review

Lessons in Sin by Pam Godwin is now live! 

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Blurb

There’s no absolution for the things I’ve done.
But I found a way to control my impulses.
I became a priest.

As Father Magnus Falke, I suppress my cravings. As the headteacher of a Catholic boarding school, I’m never tempted by a student.

Until Tinsley Constantine.

The bratty princess challenges my rules and awakens my dark nature. With each punishment I lash upon her, I want more. In my classroom, private rectory, and bent over my altar, I want all of her.

One touch risks everything I stand for. My faith. My redemption. And even my life.

As if that could stop me. I need her pain, and her heart, and she needs my lessons in sin.

Add to Goodreads: https://bit.ly/33yV6Bf

Picture

Review

This book was completely addictive and frankly one of the best written forbidden romances that I’ve ever read!

Pam Godwin is one of my favourite authors of all time and I’ll blindly and happily read anything and everything she writes. I’ve read several of her novels and know just how addictive and beautifully written they are so when I picked this one up, I knew I was in for something epic that would consume every second of my life. Lessons in Sin did exactly that, from the very first chapter, I was sucked right into this breathtaking story and I didn’t want to put it down. I procrastinated so hard toward the end because I just didn’t want to finish it because wow, this book was something special!

First, I’d like to point out that this book is part of the Midnight Dynasty series which is a multi-author series. I didn’t know about this series before reading Lessons in Sin and so didn’t read any of those books before this one. That in no way affected my reading as all the books standalone but Tinsely’s brothers, I believe, feature in their own books throughout the series. Alright, carry on…

As a fan of forbidden romance, Lessons in Sin ticked all my boxes.

I am a forbidden romance super fan but honestly, Pam Godwin excels at these student/teacher age-gap romances. She has a way with words that is just beyond anything I’ve read before and I’m just utterly captivated by her stories. She creates such heart-wrenching stories with wonderfully developed, complex characters and a romance that just takes your breath away. Pam Godwin’s writing is simply put, poignant, addictive and in a league of its own. Her talent knows no bounds!

Now, the writing and execution of this book were great. I have nothing but positive comments on this front. The pacing was perfect for the story and the plot developed nicely. I guess you could say there was some angst and build up at the beginning of the story which I think worked extremely well for the way things would progress and there really wasn’t a single aspect of the story that felt rushed or dull so as a whole this was a perfectly executed story.

As for the content, it was spot on. I was wholeheartedly invested in Tinsley and Magnus’s relationship. It was full of tension, insane chemistry, unspeakably steamy sexy times and an undeniable romantic connection. Tinsely was a great heroine. She was strong, outgoing, bold and wasn’t afraid of letting herself be vulnerable. She stood up for herself and humbly accepted the care that was offered to her without being bratty or too standoffish. She was mature for her age yet young at heart and definitely the kind of heroine that I gravitate towards. Magnus, oh Magnus, how I loved him. The man was the epitome of tall, dark and handsome, but there was so much more to him than meets the eye. Magnus was intelligent, caring unwavering, protective and possessive. The man knew exactly what he liked and what he wanted and though he had waves of patience, nerves of steel and restraint like no other, I especially loved that once he gave in to his feelings for Tinsely, that he didn’t try to deny it or chalk it up to her teenage fantasies or something equally as petty. He was all in and that devotion was heady and made for an exciting romance.

Speaking of the romance, holy smokes it was hot hot hot. The steam was on a whole other level and that in combination with their undeniable chemistry made things even sexier. Tinsely and Magnus had an immediate connection. It wasn’t necessarily romantic or even sexual, it was just something that was there, a sort of tension that showed that these two people had a spark that was just waiting to be ignited into a flame and boy did it ever burn. Tinsely and Magnus just fit together so well and were truly soulmates, both filling a void in each other’s lives and being exactly what the other needed. They understood each other and supported one another and honestly, what they had was off the charts special, they were so in sync and just beautiful. They had many things that forced them to hide their romance like the obvious “forbidenness” of it all, but there was more at stake than just that. I enjoyed the sneaking around because it made it all the more intense and gripping. There was also a gritty element to their romance and the story also had a bit of a suspenseful or darker undertone. That isn’t to say the story is dark because it isn’t, but the vibes are kind of suspenseful and a bit gloomy. There also some fun moments and other things, it’ll definitely have you feeling an array of emotions.

Sexy, addictive and impeccably written, Lessons in Sin is a beautiful, intense forbidden romance with amazing, complex characters.

Overall, Lessons in Sin was a phenomenal read and I really didn’t want to have to say goodbye to these characters. Everything about this book called to the romance reader inside me and it was exactly the type of story I love to lose myself in. I am giving Lessons in Sin 5 incredible stars and would recommend it to fans of forbidden romance with a student/teacher trope.

“Nothing is going to prevent me from being with you in the way I’ve only ever been in my dreams.”

Lessons In Sin AN - FB

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Lessons In Sin Pre-order Teaser

Meet Pam

New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today bestselling author, Pam Godwin, lives in the Midwest with her husband, their two children, and a foulmouthed parrot. Picture1 When she ran away, she traveled fourteen countries across five continents, attended three universities, and married the vocalist of her favorite rock band.
Java, tobacco, and dark romance novels are her favorite indulgences, and might be considered more unhealthy than her aversion to sleeping, eating meat, and dolls with blinking eyes. 

Connect with Pam

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ARC: Good Intentions – Ella Frank Book Review (Intentions #2)

Good Intentions, the all-new, emotional and tempting romance and the conclusion to the Intentions Duet from USA Today bestselling author Ella Frank is available now!

Blurb

Gabriel Romero made me hungry for things I’d never wanted,
and starved of the things I didn’t think I’d ever need.
Until now…
Until him…


I was never the man who believed in love, romance, or happily ever afters. I was married to my work, and happy to be that way. Until one night, not too long ago, when an audacious young man lied his way into my life and showed me what I’d been missing.

Bold and sexy, with a face that could melt through the iciest of exteriors, Gabriel Romero is the one factor I never saw coming. There are so many reasons we shouldn’t work—my age, his, our career goals in life—and yet we are drawn together by a passion for music, and each other, that neither of us can deny.

I’ve always been the one to think things through, to follow my head instead of my heart. But if I don’t open myself to what’s possible, instead of thinking of all the ways this seems impossible, I might miss out on the best thing that has ever happened to me.

So I’m taking a chance, and laying myself at his mercy, opening my heart with nothing but good intentions. Only time will tell if Gabriel Romero decides to let me back in.


Good Intentions is the second book in the Intentions Duet.

Review:

Good Intentions was everything and more than I could have ever wanted or hoped for.

Gabriel and Marcus stole my heart in Bad Intentions and I couldn’t wait to see what would come next for these two. After the way the first book ended, I knew I was in for a whole lot of excitement and this book definitely lived up to my expectations. I adore Ella Frank and this book just made me love her all the more!

Gabriel and Marcus are one of my all-time favorite Ella relationships.

Honestly, Gabriel and Marcus are up there alongside Tate and Logan and Julian, Priest and Robbie. Marcus and Gabriel have such a fun, hot and beautiful relationship. They are both so unapologetically themselves and aren’t afraid to show it. They have insane chemistry and they challenge each other. Seeing them fall in love was so sweet and getting to see their love develop over this book was so amazing. These guys are why I read m/m romance, for the thrills, the excitement, the happiness and the emotion.

I hate to say goodbye to them because I fell so hard and fast for them but their story is beautiful and I don’t doubt that it’ll stay with me for a long time as is the case with every Ella Frank story.

Sexy, sweet and such a joy to read, Good Intentions was a wonderful conclusion to this fun duet.

Overall, I can’t sing this book’s praises enough. It was so addictive and just plain amazing from start to finish. If I was hooked to these guys before, this book only made me fall deeper. I am giving Good Intentions 5 stars and would recommend it to fans of m/m romance.

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Start the duet today!
Bad Intentions
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About Ella Frank
Ella Frank is the USA Today Bestselling Author of the Temptation series, including Try, Take, and Trust and is the co-author of the fan-favorite erotic serial, Sex Addict. Her Exquisite series has been praised as “scorching hot!” and “enticingly sexy!”

A life-long fan of the romance genre, Ella writes contemporary and erotic fiction. Some of her favorite authors include Tiffany Reisz, Kresley Cole, Riley Hart, J.R. Ward, Erika Wilde, Gena Showalter, and Carly Philips.

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ARC: A Gorgeous Villain – Saffron A. Kent Book Review (St. Mary’s Rebels #2)

BLURB

Two years ago, Reed Jackson betrayed Calliope Thorne and broke her heart. So she stole his most prized possession – a white mustang – and drove it into the lake for revenge.

Now, Callie is stuck at a reform school while Reed is off at college, living his life without repercussions.

Until he comes back.

With him comes back all the feelings that Callie has been trying to bury: anger and heartbreak.

But most of all, desire. At the sight of his beautiful but lying lips and his gunmetal gray eyes that still taunt and smolder when he looks at her.

Whatever though. It’s not as if Callie is ever going to fall for her ex-boyfriend again. Or let him corner her in a bar one night and touch her, kiss her…

Neither is she going to kiss him back. Or worse, sleep with him.

Because that would make her naïve and foolish.

Oh, and also pregnant.

And there’s no way Callie is ever going to get pregnant at eighteen and with Reed’s baby, no less. The guy she hates.

The guy who taught her all about heartbreak. Who might look like a gorgeous hero but really is the villain of her story.

REVIEW

A Gorgeous Villain was one heck of a chunky book!

If you’re into long books, I’m talking 700+ pages, then this book might be for you. However, if the thought of this makes you cringe then maybe stay away…

I am no stranger to Saffron A. Kent, in fact, The Unrequited and Medicine Man are two of my all time favorite books. I was really hoping to adore this book as much as those ones because the premise was so exciting but, like many others, something didn’t quite work and it fell short in many areas. That isn’t to say it wasn’t a fun read, it was just a little stilted and I wasn’t as consumed by it as I would have liked to have been.

The story started off strong but dropped off after awhile…

In my opinion, the first half of the book was really well done. I enjoyed seeing Callie stand up to Reed and making him work for her. It was refreshing to see her stand her ground and not immediately fall to her knees for Reed especially after how he treated her at the end of the prequel novella. As for Reed, he didn’t surprise me at all. He was pretty much the exact same as he was in the prequel. Their romance was nice in the beginning because of the angst and tension between them. I liked the push and pull, the forbidden aspect of their relationship and the fact that they had to navigate the hate her brother’s held for Reed. However, come the second half of the book with the surprise pregnancy, things started to stagnate. At this point, this is where my issues with the book started to shine through and frankly, I wasn’t able to ignore them or make excuses for them either.

In my review of the prequel, I mentioned an issue with repetition and description that was often unnecessary or filler. I attributed this to the fact that it was a prequel setting up for a full length novel and hoped that this wouldn’t persist throughout AGV but alas, it was very much a pervasive issue. The repetition in words, sentences and general statements/ideas quickly became too much. Then there was the overuse of adjectives to describe Reed as well as her brothers and their overprotectiveness. It got to a point where I was like, I understand that his eyes are like so and so and her brothers are like so and so… It was like I was being reminded at every corner and I didn’t need those reminders at all. This got to a point where the content of the story was just dry and didn’t evolve or develop and as such the characters and their romance didn’t either, at least not to a satisfactory extent.

Ultimately, from a substance point of view, AGV fell short particularly in comparison to the author’s other novels. However, if I look at this book in isolation and ignore the issues with the content and writing, then it was pretty fun especially if you like very dramatic stories. If you’re a fan of high school/college romances, which I tend not to be, then this might be right up your alley. I just feel like I may have had higher expectations based on precedent.

Filled with drama and angst, A Gorgeous Villain was a pretty good continuation of this series with both highs and lows.

Overall, I had an ok time reading this book. I had high hopes for what it would be but it didn’t quite live up to my expectations. I really enjoyed the first half but the second was a little dull. The plot itself was good but the execution is where I had my issues. The writing was just much too repetitive, heavy on the description and long-winded. It did make me excited for the rest of this series and the rest of the side character’s stories though so that counts for something. Overall, because of the back and forth, I am giving A Gorgeous Villain 4 stars. I wavered between a 3.75 and a 4 but I settled on 4 because I never felt like DNFing or giving up on it. There was always something that kept me coming back and so I feel like for that, I’ve got to bump it up that little bit. I would recommend AGV to fans of forbidden, second-chance romance and any fan of Saffron A. Kent.

The Wild Mustang & Dancing Fairy – Saffron A. Kent (St. Mary’s Rebels #1.5)

Blurb

Calliope Thorne is a good girl. A straight-A student, a rule follower, and an aspiring ballerina.

But most of all, she’s a good sister to her four older brothers.

Brothers whom she loves and adores to pieces. Brothers who love and adore her to pieces in return.

And who hate just one and one thing only–Reed Jackson.

Rich, arrogant, and the most popular guy at Bardstown High, Reed is Callie’s brothers’ enemy and she has sworn to stay away from him.

Until one night when she wanders into the woods and finds herself in his clutches. A villain with pretty gray eyes and a seductive smirk.

Until he asks her to dance for him with a look in those eyes that makes her forget why falling for her brothers’ enemy is a bad idea.

Review

This little prequel novella has definitely made me that much more excited about A Gorgeous Villain!

I love Saffron A. Kent and A Gorgeous Villain has been a book that I’ve been eager to read ever since it was first announced. This novella was a perfect treat as I was able to get to know the characters and get a taste for what their story will be like. It has piqued my interest and I just know Callie and Reed are going to be epic. They have a great connection and the tension and angst between them is out of this world. Theirs is a sort of forbidden romance and the whole concept is incredibly engaging and exciting. I can’t wait to see how things progress between them and how they navigate their relationship with all of Callie’s brothers fighting it and of course their history. Gah, I’m just really pumped now for the real deal!

Quick, sweet and intense, The Wild Mustang and The Dancing Fairy sets the stage for what’ll surely be a fantastic forbidden, second-chance romance!

Overall, this was a wonderful prequel novella. There was a bit of repetition and lots of descriptions but it wasn’t too bad. I’m attributing this to the fact that this is an introductory book, but still. In any case, it didn’t affect my enjoyment too much because the story was really great. I am giving The Wild Mustang and The Dancing Fairy 4 stars and would recommend it to fans of forbidden, second-chance romance and any fan of Saffron A. Kent!

The Wild Mustang & The Dancing Fairy (A Gorgeous Villain Prequel Novella) eBook: http://bit.ly/AGVPrequel-FREE
The Wild Mustang & The Dancing Fairy on Goodreads: https://tinyurl.com/53w2a3cp

 

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ARC: Destroyed Destiny – Mary Catherine Gebhard Book Review (Crowne Point #4)

Destroyed Destiny Banner

BLURB

Our love broke the rules.

From the first stolen kiss to the last, destiny put us at odds.

Now four hearts are crossed, our happily ever afters tangled in heartache.

The bed I’m in doesn’t belong to my thorny prince, but the one holding his crown hostage.

If my destiny with Grayson Crowne is divided, then we’ll spend a lifetime finding our happily ever after.

But if a house divided never stands, then my destiny with Grayson never stood a chance….maybe we don’t need to find our destiny.

We need to destroy it.

As we fight to write happily ever after, the ugliest truth holds it captive.

The princess has a destiny with the villain too.

Even if she hates it.

Even when it’s wrong.

Live now2

REVIEW

Holy freaking freak, Destroyed Destiny was out of this world amazing!

Woot, woot, I’m tapping myself on the back for having made it through this whirlwind series because damn what a ride it was. I cried I laughed, I was pissed as hell at times and then happy as can be at others. I felt an array of emotions, swooned like a loon over the steamy bits, and fell head over heels for Story and Grayson. I cannot wrap my head around the fact that their story is over but if there is one thing I know, it is that their story was one that will stick with me for a long time to come.

Now, I ask you to bear with me as I ramble on and gush over my love for this book but honestly, Mary deserves to know what a phenomenal thing she’s done with this series so here goes!

First off, I’d like to note that I have read many books in my lifetime both in my personal life as a serial reader and in my academic life. Over the last four years since I began reviewing romance, I’ve read an average of 100 books per year and as an academic reader, I’ve read some of the most popular classics out there. I’d like to think I’m generally well versed in what makes a book outstanding, engaging, and legendary and I can without a single doubt or hesitation say that of all the authors from whom I’ve read, Mary Catherine Gebhard demarcates herself as one of the most talented authors of them all. Whatsmore, among a boatload of romance and classic novels, Destroyed Destiny and the previous two books in Story and Grayson’s trilogy are three of the most exquisitely written and addictive books I’ve ever laid eyes on or had the absolute pleasure of reading. Honestly, this is why I read! I read to be transported, to be consumed and moved by a world, a story, and characters. Mary’s writing is unparalleled in that it delivers on these things and then some. Her stories are epic, awe-inspiring, and completely addictive, her books are monumental, unique and so fantastically written, I feel like the story and the characters are real, that I can hop on a plane to Crowne Point, drive to the Crowne mansion and meet these people who have consumed my world since I first met them.

Really, I’m sort of speechless, I knew I was going to love these books when I finished Heartless Hero what feels like ages ago because Grayson was such an intriguing character but I didn’t know what to expect, certainly I was expecting to be as moved by these books as I have been but I wouldn’t have wanted it any other way. Mary crafts deeply intricate worlds and doesn’t skimp on detail. She is a literary unicorn who literally thinks of everything and is so intelligent in her writing, her talent shines through so brightly. To bring a story as complex and detailed as this to life and deliver it in such an elegant way is indicative of her talent.

Destroyed Destiny Teaser

All right, so about them books...

Over the course of three novels, I’ve gotten to know these two unique, complex, and flawed individuals and have seen them grow in the midst of heartache, happiness, love, tragedy, and opposition. Grayson and Story are some of the most well-developed characters I’ve ever read and I genuinely feel like I know them on a personal level. Their individual arcs were so well thought out and paced. I felt like their journey from start to finish was so authentic and I loved seeing them grow into the people they ended up becoming. Grayson and Story from Stolen Soulmate are not Grayson and Story from Destroyed Destiny, they are so much more because of everything that has been thrown at them. Grayson is still the alphahole we know and love but his priorities have become clear and he is willing to go to war for them and Story is the same compassionate girl we fell in love with but she has grown into a strong woman who’s ready to fight for herself and love.

Likewise, their relationship has developed into something truly beautiful and unbreakable. Their chemistry is as intense as ever and the angst, oh man, the angst is so hot. The connection they share goes above and beyond anything I could’ve ever imagined and the bond they share is so unique, so theirs. Grayson and Story, in addition to the emotional side of their romance, are incredibly sexy together, like their romance is full of ridiculously steamy moments and I was obsessed. Seeing them navigate the situation they’ve ended up in after the events in Forbidden Fate was a real whirlwind, very emotional and suspenseful but also so much fun as that characteristic MCG humor is definitely present among all the drama.

Annnnnd, on another note she did the unthinkable, Mary made me like Lottie and West, gasp! I genuinely grew to like them and I’m actually really happy I got to see them differently.

Ok, let’s wrap this up!

Now that I’ve sung Mary’s praises and proclaimed my love for this book (and series) I do want to point out that I’ve purposely held back in the level of detail of my review. If you are familiar with my reviews, I tend to go into a good amount of detail about content and writing and while I did extensively discuss the writing side, I’m not going to go further into the content because it is the third book in a trilogy and I really really really don’t want to spoil even the tiniest detail because this series deserves to be experienced with all its jaw-dropping moments.

Destroyed Destiny is an epic masterpiece with stunning prose, magnificent characters, and a thrilling storyline!

Overall, Destroyed Destiny was truly sensational and will go down as one of the best books I’ve read in my entire life! One of the best written, best developed, with the best characters, the best blazing hot sexy times, and the best everything. Before I digress again, I’ll say this, you need to read this book, it’s an absolute must-read! I am giving it 5 gigantic stars and would recommend it to fans of forbidden romance and bully romance!

PURCHASE LINKS

♛ AMZ: https://amzn.to/2VJaeZv

♛ UNIVERSAL: http://mybook.to/DestroyedDestiny

CATCH UP WITH THE SERIES

If you haven’t started Crowne Point, now is the time! The entire series is ON SALE for a limited time, and available to read for FREE in Kindle Unlimited.

HEARTLESS HERO

♛ AMZ: mybook.to/heartlesshero

STOLEN SOULMATE

♛ AMZ: mybook.to/StolenSoulmate

FORBIDDEN FATE: 

♛ AMZ: mybook.to/ForbiddenFatet

 

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ARC: My Darling Arrow – Saffron A. Kent Book Review (St. Mary’s Rebels #1)

Blurb


Darling Arrow,

I shouldn’t be writing this.

It’s not as if I’m ever going to send you this letter and there are a million reasons why.

First of all, I was sent to St. Mary’s School for Troubled Teenagers – an all-girls reform school – as a punishment for a petty, totally inconsequential crime. Not to ogle the principal’s hot son around the campus.

Second of all, you’re a giant jerk. You’re arrogant and moody and so cold. Sometimes I think I shouldn’t even like you.

But strangely your coldness sets me on fire.

The way your athletic body moves on the soccer field and the way your powerful thighs sprawl across that bike of yours, make me go inappropriately breathless.

But that’s not the worst part.

The worst part is that you, Arrow Carlisle, are not only the principal’s hot son.

You also happen to be the love of my sister’s life.

And I really shouldn’t be thinking about my sister’s boyfriend or rather fiancé (I overheard a conversation about the ring that I shouldn’t have.)

Now if I can only stop writing you these meaningless letters that I’ll never send and you’ll never read…

Never yours,
Salem

Review


While it wasn’t my favorite of Saffron A. Kent’s books, My Darling Arrow was still a lot of fun to read!

I was super excited for this book and to be able to finally read something new by Saffron A. Kent (SAK). I’m a huge fan of her work and she’s always been one of my all-time favorite authors. My Darling Arrow was right up my alley with it’s forbidden romance, angst and enemies-to-lovers sort of vibe. Of course, the unrequited love trope, one of my favorites, was front and center as this is SAK’s specialty. Now, I will say when I first started reading, it took me some time to find my footing and really get into the book but afterward, things were pretty smooth sailing.

This book was hot and angsty!

When it comes to the writing in this book, it was pretty good. SAK excels at writing her characters in their unique voices and I felt as though Salem’s chapters were being read to me by Salem herself and Arrow’s chapters were being read by Arrow. I really enjoyed this aspect and the dual POV’s because I felt like I got to know more about the characters this way.

As for Salem and Arrow, I did really like them but I didn’t connect with them as much as I have with other characters by SAK. This meant I couldn’t 100% fall in love with them but that’s not to say I didn’t like them at all. There was just something explosive missing and whether that is because of the way the book was developed/delivered or just side effects of a month long reading slump that I’m just starting to creep out of, I don’t know. I just know that I liked the characters but I didn’t love them.

Arrow and Salem were both lots of fun together. They had great chemistry, were playful in their banter with one another and these two had some intense angst going on. It was obvious they had a connection and once they gave into the connection, things got real hot, real quick. It was amazing and I was so happy for the two of them for having found each other. They just clicked so well. The only thing I could’ve wanted a little more of was development in the love side of things. On Salem’s part, it was well executed but on Arrow’s part I struggled with fully buying into his love and affection for her beyond just in a physical capacity.

Fun, flirty and full of angst, this forbidden romance is full of unrequited love!

Overall, I had a good time reading this book, revisiting the world that gave us Bad Boy Blues and finally reading an SAK book again. While I didn’t love the book or get completely consumed by it like I’d hoped (I blame my slump), it was still a really great read and has gotten me super excited for the rest of the books in this new series! I am giving My Darling Arrow 4 stars and would recommend it to fans of forbidden romance!