ARC: Wicked Heat – Ella Frank Book Review (Chicago Heat #1)

“He’s grumpy, rude, and honestly, not that likeable at all. So why can’t I stop thinking about him?”

Wicked Heat, an all-new high heat and slow burn mm romance, and the first book in the Chicago Heat Series from USA Today bestselling author Ella Frank, is live now!

Synopsis

Ryan

Kind, caring, and protective. Those are the three qualities I’m looking for when it comes to my dream man. In a city as big as Chicago, you wouldn’t think he would be that hard to find, right?

Wrong.

Sure, my boss found a super-sexy detective and my best friend fell madly in love with the most eligible bachelor around. But the only person I’ve met recently is a broody bad boy who saved me at a sketchy pub.

He’s grumpy, rude, and honestly, not that likeable at all. Hardly my “dream” guy.

So why can’t I stop thinking about him?

Jameson

I don’t do friendships. I don’t do relationships either. The very last thing I’m looking for in life is to fall in love and live happily ever after.

So saving some rich guy from losing his wallet is the last thing I want to do on a Friday night. Especially when he looks like someone who just stepped off the cover of GQ.

Fate seems to have other ideas, though, and every time I turn around, he’s there.

A wicked heat simmers between us, threatening to ignite, and though I’ve been trained to put out the flames, I can’t help but think: What’s the worst that could happen if I let this desire burn out of control?

Wicked Heat is book 1 of 2 in Ryan Carrigan & Jameson Clarke’s story.

Add Wicked Heat to Goodreads: https://bit.ly/3m5yUsb

Review:

I’ve run out of different ways to express my love for Ella Frank’s books!

I’m not kidding, I feel like all my reviews for this author’s work are similar in the sense that I just repeat how much I love and adored them and that’s why I always struggle to review them but man, what else is there to say. In my eyes, she can do no wrong and she is without a doubt, my favourite author. Wicked Heat is just a testament to her incredible talent and unwavering ability to absolutely capture my attention with her phenomenal stories even 31 books later, I’m still as in love with her writing as I was way back when I picked up my first Ella Frank book.

Wicked Heat was everything I could have wanted and more.

I have been waiting for mister Ryan Carrigan to get his love story since he was first introduced a while back in Xander and Sean’s series, The Intentions duet because he just seemed sweet and fun. When Ella announced who his love interest was going to be, I was blown away with excitement because that little glimpse of Jameson at the end of Killian and Bash’s series, The Dare to Try Series, left me wanting to know more about the mysterious and grumpy dude.

Suffice to say, these guys were quite the match. Ryan and Jameson are, evidently very different from one another which plays into the opposites attract trope but it was really well done. It isn’t cliche or anything of the sort, rather because there was a natural progression from resistance to friends to lovers, it felt like them getting together was a genuine and inevitable thing. Their connection and chemistry were clear from the start and you could just tell that there was something just attracting them to one another.

Ryan was funny, outgoing and kind. He was constantly aware and considerate of Jameson’s feelings and was just an all-around amazing man. Jameson was more of a closed-off, quiet and surly guy. He definitely had walls put up because of what seems like a tough past which I’m interested in learning more of cause I feel like we only just scratched the surface with that.

The romance between these guys was both very sweet as they became friends and got to know one another and then became smoking hot once they put an end to the angst tension and gave in to their attraction. Honestly, Ryan and Jameson just clicked and it’s not for nothing that Jameson opened up in a way that was completely unlike him when he was with Ryan and that Ryan felt wholeheartedly protected, safe and comfortable with a man as closed off as Jameson was for a chunk of their time together. They were just sexy as hell and right for each other and I can’t wait to see what happens next because the ending left so many things up in the air.

As far as development goes, which if you’ve read my reviews before you know is very important to me, this book hit all the marks. Ella Frank’s books are not particularly long and read pretty quickly which you might think risks skimping out on development or proper pacing but that is not the case with this author. Her stories are just so well written that she managed to pace the plot appropriately so that it develops throughout the book and doesn’t feel too slow or fast. She also made sure to have Ryan and Jameson evolve throughout the book and grow because of their relationship, which itself also changed over time. All that to say, this book feels like it passes in a blink of an eye but yet feels like so I’ve been touched by so many emotions and have seen such a wonderful storyline play out in front of my eyes. I just can’t wait for more!

Fun, thrilling and sexy, Wicked Heat was the most amazing start to Ryan and Jameson’s love story!

Overall, I adored every second of this book and I’m really excited to see where Ella takes things in Wicked Flame. Those last couple of chapters had me tense with anticipation and were just heart-wrenching. I’m giving Wicked Heat 5 stars and would recommend it to fans of m/m romance. And as always, it was lovely to see some familiar faces!

Grab your copy today, exclusively on Amazon or FREE on Kindle Unlimited!

Amazon: https://amzn.to/3EVdTIf
Amazon Worldwide: https://mybook.to/chicagoheatone

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.

Connect with Ella

Facebook: http://bit.ly/2sYAgNc
Instagram: http://bit.ly/2tM6vPy
Twitter: http://bit.ly/2TbuBOf
Stay up to date with Ella by joining her mailing list: http://bit.ly/2FFDzeI
Website: https://www.ellafrank.com

Read my reviews for the other books mentioned in this review!

Intentions Duet

Bad Intentions

Good Intentions

Dare to Try series

Dare You

Dare Me

Truth or Dare

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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.

Add to Goodreads:
https://bit.ly/BeautifulNightmareTBR

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.

Connect with Giana

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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
Add Secrets & Lies to Goodreads: https://bit.ly/3btSyZi

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

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.

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.

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: Treachery – Lily White Book Review (Antihero Inferno #1)

BLURB

Ninth Circle.
Treachery.
Also known as Tanner Caine.

He is a temptation with cold, dark eyes.
A man with a seductive smirk and a body built for pure sin.
The linchpin of a group of wealthy bad boys known as the Inferno.

A dark presence that repels as much as he attracts, Tanner is the poisoned apple I want to bite even when I know it will destroy me.

Our story started in college, but I ran from him so far I believed I was safe.
I should have known he’d find me eventually.
I should have known that nobody escapes.

He has me in his sights again with an offer I can’t pass up.
I know better than to make a deal with the Devil.
Not unless I’m willing to pay his sensual price…

***Each novel in the series depicts a unique romance, but the plots through each book connect in one world. For the best experience, read the series in order.

Nine Standalone novels. Nine dangerous men. Nine unrepentant sinners you’ll hate to love.

REVIEW

This Inferno world is chock full of secrecy and mind games and I can’t wait to read more!

After reading the Treachery Prequel, I was hooked and needed to find out where Tanner and Luca’s love/hate relationship would go. The secret plan the Inferno guys had for her was one mystery I was dying to uncover and heck, I was not expecting the direction it went in. While there were some elements of this book that weren’t my absolute favorite, I can tell you this, Treachery is a whirlwind but it’s one hell of a complex and gripping whirlwind!

This series is setting up to be one hell of a wild and thrilling ride!

For the most part, I enjoyed Treachery very much. My interest in the rest of the Infernos guys has been piqued so I can’t wait for their respective books but as for Tanner and Luca, I was happy with the way their romance turned out. There were some moments in time that felt a bit repetitive or dragged out but, as a whole, the book was very well written and executed. After all, it is Lily White and she is a phenomenal author!

Tanner is a 100% unapologetic raging a**hole. His mind games and manipulation make him a force to be reckoned with and his demeanor just screams stay out of my way. I liked that he had a smidgen of a softer side that peeked through when it came to Luca because that balanced out his darker side.

Luca was one strong, fierce, and brave woman to go up against Tanner and knock him off his feet. She gave as good as she got and didn’t shy away from putting him and anybody else who stood toe to toe with her in their place. Luca was also such a kind-hearted person and I loved that she was able to somewhat tame the beast in Tanner and make him vulnerable for the first time.

These two together were a maelstrom. The love/hate relationship going on between them was full of sexual tension, push & pull and there was tons of angst. Their sexual chemistry was off the charts but where I felt like things were off was in the love side of their relationship. I couldn’t really feel actual emotional feelings between the two of them beyond physical attraction so I felt like that was a bit meh, but I’m hoping that as the series goes on and they grow in their relationship, that side will start to develop.

Sexy, complex, and full of secrets, suspense, and drama, Treachery is one epic psychological thriller meets enemies-to-lovers meets bully romance!

Overall, I enjoyed Treachery and look forward to continuing this series. I can’t wait to see where things go because I have so many questions. I know the answers will come all in due time so I’ll be here patiently waiting for Gabriel’s book! I’m giving Treachery 4 stars and would recommend it to fans of psychological thrillers, enemies-to-lovers romance, and bully romance!

“He takes without asking. Traps me without apology. Seduces me without effort.”

 

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ARC: Treachery Prequel – Lily White Book Review (Antihero Inferno #0.5)

Blurb

Ninth Circle.
Treachery.
Also known as Tanner Caine.

He is a temptation with cold, dark eyes.
A man with a seductive smirk and a body built for pure sin.
The linchpin of a group of wealthy bad boys known as the Inferno.

A dark presence that repels as much as he attracts, Tanner is the poisoned apple I want to bite even when I know it will destroy me.

Our story started in college, but I ran from him so far I believed I was safe.
I should have known he’d find me eventually.
I should have known that nobody escapes.

He has me in his sights again with an offer I can’t pass up.
I know better than to make a deal with the Devil.
Not unless I’m willing to pay his sensual price…

(Treachery Prequel comes before Treachery of the Antihero Inferno Series and occurs during the college years.)

Review

This teaser of what’s to come has made me even more excited for the release of Treachery!

Treachery has been one of my most anticipated releases ever since Lily White first announced it. I love dark and twisty romance with a bully feel to them and this book hits the spot. Lily White successfully grabbed my attention with the mystery and allure of the Inferno guys, specifically, Tanner and their secret plan for Luca.

I really enjoyed Luca’s character. She seems like a strong, feisty and relatable girl. I liked how she stood up to Tanner when no else would and I can’t wait to see where her character goes from here. Tanner was interesting as well. While he might be a raging asshole, there is a smidge of something in him that is absolutely captivating and makes me want to know more about who he is under all that darkness.

The relationship between Luca and Tanner is only teased but it definitely shows some epic sexual tension and angst for days and an undeniable pull of chemistry. They are super sexy together and I can’t wait to see where their love-hate enemies-to-lovers romance will go in Treachery!

Quick, sexy and full of secrets, Treachery Prequel is a perfect teaser to a highly anticipated release!

Overall, I was really happy with this prequel. It enjoyed it so much and it has made me even more eager to get my hands on Treachery. I am giving Treacher Prequel 5 stars and would recommend it to fans of dark, enemies-to-lovers romance.

“Make a deal with me, Luca, and this can all go away.”

 

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ARC: Across Time – Elizabeth O’Roark Book Review (Across Time #1)

ACROSS TIME

By Elizabeth O’Roark
Release Day: December 12

In a dangerous time before her own…a dangerous attraction.
Amelie Besson is on the cusp of attaining the life she’s dreamed of—until she finds herself stuck in pre-war France, fifty years before her time. The country is about to be under German rule, but her most immediate problem is Henri Durand, the arrogant and infuriatingly handsome vineyard owner upon whom her survival depends.

The fiercely protective Henri challenges everything Amelie holds true—particularly her hatred of the gift that brought her there in the first place. As the bond between them grows, Amelie will begin to wonder if the life she’s returning to is actually the one she wants, and if her connection to Henri might be strong enough to surmount any obstacle…even time itself.

Add to your Goodreads TBR here: https://bit.ly/33FcIK5

Review:

Elizabeth O’Roark’s writing is truly like no other!

I don’t normally read historical type romance or time-travel romance but this one sounded so damn good, I had to give it a shot. That paired with the fact that it’s from Elizabeth O’Roark sealed the deal. In my past experiences with this author, I’ve loved everything she’s written and this book was no different.

Across Time is unique and addictive!

I can honestly say I’ve never read anything like this book. Right from the start, I was all in. The writing is so easy to get lost in, it is seamless and so consuming. The characters were both really interesting and getting to know them throughout the story was great fun. The touch of mystery combined with the suspense made it so gripping and I couldn’t put it down, not even for a second. The romance was fun and intense. The sexual tension and chemistry were palpable and I honestly can’t wait for more to see where Amelie and Henri’s relationship goes.

Unique, mysterious and thrilling, Across Time is a beautiful love story!

Overall, I really enjoyed this book and can’t wait to continue the series. I am giving Across Time 4.5 stars and would recommend it to fans of time-travel and historical romance!

About the Author:

Hi and thanks for visiting! I’m a former medical writer (unsurprisingly, writing romance is much more fun than writing about pediatric heart surgery) and therapist (I was terrible at it). I have a couple of degrees that have proven completely useless, and I now live in Washington, DC with my three kids. I drink an embarrassing amount of Diet Mountain Dew, and would exist entirely off of candy corn were it socially acceptable to do so. 

For rights inquiries, please contact Brower Literary & Management 

Author Links:

Newsletter: https://www.elizabethoroark.com
Website: https://www.elizabethoroark.com/buy
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/elizabeth-o-roark
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7233016.Elizabeth_O_Roark
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elizabethoroark/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ElizabethORoark
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/elizabethoroarkbooks
Amazon Author Page: https://amzn.to/2O8k16r

 

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ARC: Bad Influence – Charleigh Rose Book Review (Bad Love #3) + Excerpt

Blurb:

Allie
When I moved to River’s Edge, dating was the last thing on my mind.
I definitely didn’t expect to fall for him.
Jesse Shepherd.
Popular. Star athlete. Cocky as hell.
You know the type.
But as time passed, I realized there was more lurking beneath that gorgeous exterior.
Secretive. Angry. A little bit broken.
The more I peeled back his layers, the deeper I fell.
Until I slammed headfirst into his sea of lies.

Jess
I blew my shot.
Pissed everything away—college, lacrosse, my future—only to end up right back
where I started in River’s Edge.
I was content to revel in my misery, spending my days drowning in a bottomless pit of
booze and girls.
Until I saw her.
Allison Parrish.
Beautiful. Sarcastic. Perpetual bad attitude.
The pretty little distraction from the shit show that was my life.
But the sins of my past were closing in on me, and I learned the hard way that nothing
gold can stay.

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/43130635-bad-influence

 

Review:

It’s been a hot second since I last read Charleigh Rose and holy hell did I ever miss her writing!

Charleigh Rose is one of my OG favorite romance authors. She was one of the ones who got me into New Adult romance and I’ve been hooked ever since. I have read all of her books and though I’ve enjoyed them all, my heart beats for her Bad Love series. When she announced that Jesse was getting his own book my excitement was next level! I got the amazing opportunity to read an ARC copy and I can honestly say it was flipping fantastic!

“It was supposed to be fun. But I’m in too deep to turn back now.”

Bad Influence was so fun to read, I was hooked from the get-go!

If my love for Bad Habit and Bad Intentions was anything to go by, I knew Bad Influence was going to be something special. I gave both of those previous books 5 stars and hint hint, Bad Influence is maybe sort of totally continuing that pattern!

First of all, cheers to Charleigh Rose for her awesome writing that is a mix of humour, emotion and angst. All of her books are super fun to read because she just infuses them with personality and brings them to life. Her talent is real special and was definitely shining through because I was so addicted!

Bad Influence had some awesome characters as well. Allie ande Jesse were relatable, interesting and fun! They had a great deal of depth to them and uncovering their secrets and “layers” was great!

“I’m starting to find that being with Allison quiets every fucking thing I’m forced to face.”

When an unexpected event lands Allison Parrish living in River’s Edge, the last thing she expects is to catch the eye of playboy extraordinaire Jesse Shepherd. Least of all did she think she’d fall for him. You see, he get’s on her every last nerve but there’s more to him than meets the eye and Allie just can’t resist the pull between them. Especially if it means finding out who the real Jesse Shepherd is behind his carefree, arrogant facade.

Getting a scholarship was Jesse Shepherd’s fresh start, his break from his tarnished childhood. Too bad he blew that opportunity and landed himself in River’s Edge. This might not have been on the agenda but it does lead him to Allie Parish. Jesse never gets hung up on a girl but she’s different and something about her calls to him. Whether it be her effortless beauty or her ability to see beyond his facade, Jesse finds himself unable to get her out of his mind.

Allie was an awesome heroine. She was super relatable, strong-minded, kind and caring. She gave as good as she got when it came to Jesse’s teasing but also had a sweet side. Allie was supportive and understanding and didn’t really have a judgmental bone in her body. Jesse was also great! Obviously he’s totally hot but aside from that he was loyal, protective and considerate. Jesse had a big heart and though he struggled to show that side of him, he had a soft side to balance out his gruff playboy front.

“Being around her has a way of making everything else blur out of focus. She gives me something to look forward to.”

I really enjoyed both of these characters because they had a lot to them that wasn’t on the surface. They had depth which is always interesting because I get to discover the characters and the story goes along and as they get to know each other. Allie and Jesse had instant chemistry though it took them some time to get past their little issues with each other. That didn’t dull their obvious sexual chemistry which made for some epic angst and tension. They were super hot together and shared some super sexy moments! Their romance was great and developed naturally. Their connection was strong and they had a lot in common. Their love for each other was real and raw and watching them realize their honest affection for each other was the greatest! On top of that, they shared some awesome banter which was both playful and sexy which made Bad Influence all the more fun to read!

Fun, angsty and totally addictive, Bad Influence was a great romance between two wonderful characters with lots of depth!

Overall, I was completely hooked to this book! The storyline, the romance, the characters, the writing, everything was just so good, I couldn’t get enough. Bad Influence really showcased why I love Charleigh Rose and why the Bad Love series continues to be my favorite series of book by this author. I am giving Bad Influence 5 stars and would recommend it to fans of new adult romance!

Buy Links (Kindle unlimited):

Amazon US: https://amzn.to/2KbZ4bh

Amazon CA: https://amzn.to/2WxIvIu

Amazon UK: https://amzn.to/2INPTLl

Amazon AU: https://amzn.to/2Zq4fIp

 

Excerpt:

“Did you hear that?” I ask. Moving in slowly, he cages me in, bracing his right arm on the wall above my head, his left hand by my hip. He brings his lips close to my ear and I fight the shiver that rolls through me. “It’s probably just your admirer,” he says, his voice hushed and husky. I swallow hard, looking over his shoulder as he nuzzles closer, his nose skimming my neck, then down to my collarbone. My pulse pounds in my ears as he moves back up, his mouth brushing across my cheek, stopping at my parted lips. “Is this convincing?” He asks. He’s so close that I can feel his breath on my lips, and I realize that I want him to do it. I want him to kiss me. I give a slight shake of my head in response. “No?” He smirks, knowing exactly what he’s doing to me. His left hand leaves the wall to curl around my hip and he presses his chest to mine. “How about this?” “Almost,” I whisper. I wet my lips and the tip of my tongue nearly grazes his bottom lip. His expression goes from playful to heated in an instant, then he’s closing the final distance. It’s soft at first, just a brush of his lips against mine, but soon he’s cupping my face with both hands, tilting my head back as his tongue sweeps into my mouth, his movements confident and skilled. Unhurried and unyielding. My hands find his shirt, pulling him closer as his tongue fucks my mouth. Because that’s exactly what this is. This isn’t kissing. Or maybe it is, and I’ve been kissing the wrong boys. Jesse groans, fitting a firm thigh between my legs, and the need bubbling inside me threatens to boil over at the sensation. But all too soon, he pulls back, leaving me breathless. “Was that convincing enough?”

Author Bio

Charleigh Rose lives in Narnia with her husband and two young children. She’s
hopelessly devoted to unconventional love and pizza. When she isn’t reading or mom-
ing, she’s writing moody, broody, swoony romance.

Author Social Media

Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/charleighroseprose/
Facebook group: https://goo.gl/p9cE03
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/charleighrose/
Amazon: https://goo.gl/HlqF8s
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/15569269.Charleigh_Rose
Twitter: https://twitter.com/authorcharleigh
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/charleigh-rose

 

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