Although I enjoyed the first book in this series I had serious reservations about the way Roman's vampire harem was described. They're all vampire womAlthough I enjoyed the first book in this series I had serious reservations about the way Roman's vampire harem was described. They're all vampire women who are hundreds of years old but they act like idiotic teenagers constantly cat fighting amongst themselves and belittling other women. Even worse is the fact that they are simply incapable of making a single decision for themselves and are totally reliant on a man for every single part of their lives. The old male vampires in this series are all warriors or scientists, men who have embraced modern society and technology while the women are totally stuck in the past when women were just supposed to be pretty ornaments there to do whatever their husbands told them to. I HATE this sexist attitude and I absolutely hate that more often than not it is women who continue to perpetuate it.
You may wonder why I'm ranting about problems I had with the first book in this review so I'll point out that the vampire harem have a HUGE part in the sequel. To be honest if I'd known that going in I probably would have been reluctant to read Vamps and the City at all but I prefer not to read blurbs for books in ongoing series. The main focus of this book isn't the romance between Darcy and Austin, it's about a reality show for vampire TV where the women of the vampire harem are judging a competition to find the sexiest man on earth, the "lucky" winner doesn't just come away with a million dollar prize they also get to become the proud new owner of Roman's rejected harem of women. Just excuse me while I vomit at the thought of it! As if that wasn't bad enough the women choose the most ridiculously shallow things to judge the men on, looks, strength, chivalry, wealth etc. Nothing about being a nice person with a good sense of humour or anything else for that matter. The whole reality show part of this book (which gets more page time than ANYTHING else) was offensive and insulting and any humour that the author was trying to achieve flew straight over my head and missed the mark completely. The only good thing I can say about the book is that the women did start to rethink their lives and consider the possibility of independence. It came too late to save the story but it did give me a tiny glimmer of hope for the future.
To make it worse I didn't particularly like either of the main characters. Darcy had been through a tough time after being turned into a vampire without giving her permission, but it was done to save her life after she had been attacked and she had a pretty good life now even if it wasn't the life she expected but she was just so whiney and ungrateful for everything. I hated her woe is me attitude and just found her really difficult to connect with. Austin was a member of the CIA vampire slaying team and he'd gone undercover as part of the reality show trying to get details of more vampires so his team could kill them all afterwards. I hated the way he treated Darcy and I actually have a lot of problems with the whole CIA vampire slaying team too. Are you seriously telling me that they would have knowledge of where a whole bunch of vampires were spending their days and yet they wouldn't try to stake them all while they slept? Also, since the vampires were aware he was there undercover why the heck didn't they have security at the penthouse to prevent that from happening? Not only do we have ridiculously stupid bad guys but the good vampires are idiots too.
I think it's pretty obvious that I didn't enjoy this story much. I'm actually pretty surprised I even finished reading it. I have friends who tell me later books in the series are really good but I'm honestly not sure I want to continue reading it. I'll give it a few months and see if I change my mind though....more
When Lady Grace Carpenter's parents died she fought hard to gain custody of her seven younger siblings until one of her brothers was old enough to takWhen Lady Grace Carpenter's parents died she fought hard to gain custody of her seven younger siblings until one of her brothers was old enough to take control of their family estate. No other family members were willing to take all of the children on so it was the only way to keep them all together and Grace felt it was her duty to protect them all. She knew that she was giving up the chance of having a family of her own as it would be very unlikely she'd be able to find a man willing to take on her and seven children. When she is caught in a storm and forced to spend a night in an inn with her teenage crush she decides that even if she can never marry she can at least have one night of passion to remember for the rest of her life.
Mattheus, Earl of Worthington, has decided it is time to settle down. His friends have all started to marry and seeing them start families of their own has made him consider his own future. After one unforgettable night with Grace he decides he's found the perfect woman for him but unfortunately Grace did a disappearing act before he even woke up. Now the search is on and he's not going to give up his quest easily, no matter how stubborn Grace is or how much extra responsibility her siblings will be.
Three Weeks to Wed was my first book by Ella Quinn but it was such a fun read that it definitely won't be my last. I don't tend to read a lot of historical romance but sometimes I'm just in the mood for something warm and light hearted and this series hits that spot perfectly. I thought Grace was a great character, she has worked so hard to protect her siblings and she put her own life on hold to do it without ever begrudging them for it. She loves them all dearly and wants to honour her parents too. I loved the relationship between all the brothers and sisters and that they loved her as much as she loved them, they want the best for her too and when they realise Matt is courting her they decide to do whatever it takes to bring the couple together.
Matt already has four younger siblings of his own that he's responsible for so he's quite shocked when he realises marrying Grace would bring the brood up to eleven. I liked that he took time to think about the affect that would have on all of their lives before continuing to pursue Grace, but equally that it didn't take him too long to decide that she was worth it. Matt and Grace made a really cute couple and they had an intense connection that they both struggled to resist but they also had a lot of shared values and family was important to them. It was fun seeing Matt learn to deal with all of the children but I also really liked seeing the siblings from both families decide to help Matt and Grace blend their two families together.
This was a sweet romance with lots of humour and just a tiny amount of suspense. I liked the fact that it was relatively drama free and that there were no big misunderstandings or stupid arguments. I'm definitely looking forward to reading the next book in the series....more
I loved this short snippet about how Dina's parents, Gerard and Helen, first meet but it definitely left me wanting more. I can't wait for Dina to finI loved this short snippet about how Dina's parents, Gerard and Helen, first meet but it definitely left me wanting more. I can't wait for Dina to find out what happened to them and their Inn & I hope the family get to be reunited in the main series but I'd also really like a story set before the Innkeeper series too.
I love retellings and Christina Henry's take on Little Red Riding Hood was something really fun and unexpected. The bones of the original story is theI love retellings and Christina Henry's take on Little Red Riding Hood was something really fun and unexpected. The bones of the original story is there, a young girl dressed in red making her way through a dark wood trying to reach her grandmother's house and facing danger along the way, but apart from that it's totally it's own story. It's set in a post apocalyptic world and we follow two different timelines throughout: After, where Red is alone and trying to make a difficult journey from her home to her Grandmother's house while avoiding military curfews and roaming bands of mercenaries, and Before, where we go back in time and slowly unravel what caused the apocalypse and how that affected Red and her family.
Both timelines were intense and fraught with danger and it kept me compulsively reading because I just HAD to know what would happen next. Red spent her entire life preparing for the apocalypse, her family used to make fun of her obsession with horror books and movies but it meant she was the most prepared to deal with the Crisis that hit the world and wiped out the majority of the population. She was the one with a plan and their best chance of survival in the dangerous new world they now find themselves in. I loved Red, yes she could be a bit of a know it all but she had the brains to back up her boasting and most importantly she was willing to fight to keep herself and others safe. There were times when she could have picked the easy road by herself but chose the harder option and put herself in harm's way to help others and that's always something admirable.
I would have liked a little more information about what caused the virus that ended the world as we know it but at the same time I think some stories can get bogged down in the details rather than focusing on the character's journey and I appreciate that it didn't happen here. Instead we focus on everything that happens to Red and how she reacts to it, the way her instincts kick in and just how hard she has to push herself to survive. The way people acted throughout the book was scarily believable, from the rare survivors who were willing to share their meagre supplies to the groups who practically turned into animals who only cared about themselves and saw anyone else as the enemy. This story is definitely a dark one and we see far more of the latter group than we do the former but there was just enough hope thrown in to keep it from getting too dark and depressing.
This story was everything I didn't know I wanted from a Little Red Riding Hood retelling and I can't wait to start reading through Christina Henry's backlog....more
Memorial is a short story that was originally available through Kit Rocha's Patreon page where you can sponsor the author and read a short story everyMemorial is a short story that was originally available through Kit Rocha's Patreon page where you can sponsor the author and read a short story every month. After six months these stories become available on Kit Rocha's website so you can now read this one for free. These stories aren't meant to be standalone, they're written to give fans of the series a chance to catch up with favourite characters and just give us little glimpses into what's happening in this world now that the main series has finished.
In Memorial we get to see Emma and Noah remembering the people who are no longer with them, Emma's brother in particular. This story has quite a melancholy feel to it and was sadder than most of these short stories have been but it was still sweet to see how strong they are as a couple and that they are so supportive of each other....more
This is the second of two interlinked stories written by Nora Roberts under both of her pen names. First you have Hot Rocks, a contemporary romance wiThis is the second of two interlinked stories written by Nora Roberts under both of her pen names. First you have Hot Rocks, a contemporary romance with a hint of suspense written as Nora and secondly, set 50 years into the future, you have Big Jack, a futuristic suspense written with Nora's J.D. Robb hat on. Both stories have been sold separately and they can each be read as stand alone stories (although Big Jack is part of the In Death world and will particularly appeal to Eve and Roarke fans!) but I highly recommend reading the two together as it's really fun to see how they entwine despite occurring at very different times. You can save money by buying the Remember When anthology which contains both stories.
My Review of Big Jack by J.D. Robb:
Set approximately 50 years into the future from the end of Hot Rocks, Big Jack focuses on Laine and Max's granddaughter. Sam is an author who has recently published the story of how her grandparents met, including details of the diamond heist and the fact that not all of the diamonds were recovered. She comes home from her book tour to discover her home has been trashed and her house sitter has been murdered. It looks like someone believes that Sam and her family kept the missing diamonds for themselves and now they're willing to do whatever it takes to steal the jackpot. Of course Eve Dallas has been called in to investigate the murders but she quickly realises the key to finding a murderer is to locate the missing diamonds herself.
It's no secret I love the In Death series (that's the whole reason I read these two stories in the first place!) and Big Jack is just as good as you'd expect from a book in this series. You have all the banter between Eve, Peabody and the rest of the team, the swoon worthy romance between Eve and Roarke and of course a murder to solve and diamonds to find. I will never get enough of this series and, as always, this story definitely left me wanting to dive straight into the next one....more
This is the first of two interlinked stories written by Nora Roberts under both of her pen names. First you have Hot Rocks, a contemporary romance witThis is the first of two interlinked stories written by Nora Roberts under both of her pen names. First you have Hot Rocks, a contemporary romance with a hint of suspense written as Nora and secondly, set 50 years into the future, you have Big Jack, a futuristic suspense written with Nora's J.D. Robb hat on. Both stories have been sold separately and they can each be read as stand alone stories (although Big Jack is part of the In Death world and will particularly appeal to Eve and Roarke fans!) but I highly recommend reading the two together as it's really fun to see how they entwine despite occurring at very different times. You can save money by buying the Remember When anthology which contains both stories.
My review of Hot Rocks by Nora Roberts:
Laine Tavish has worked hard to put her past behind her and get away from her father's criminal roots. She's made a nice life for herself as an antiques dealer in the small town of Angel's Gap, she owns a small but successful store, has great friends and has a good relationship with her mother and step-father. She's kept the fact that her real Dad is a criminal a secret but since she's not seen him for years she figures it's a small white lie that isn't going to harm anyone. Things get a lot more complicated when one of her father's oldest friends comes into the shop, gives her a cryptic warning and then is immediately killed in a hit and run right outside her door. Now it looks like Laine's past has caught up with her but she has absolutely no idea what is really going on.
Max Gannon is an investigator who is trying to track down millions of pounds worth of missing diamonds that were stolen in a heist believed to have been pulled off by Laine's father Big Jack. He's come to Angel's Gap looking for Laine because he believes she might be fencing stolen goods for her father but it doesn't take him too long to realise that she isn't involved. He's not the only person who came looking for and someone believes that Laine has the diamonds in her possession which means her life is in danger. Max vows to keep her safe while also trying to track down the diamonds but it isn't going to be easy.
Hot Rocks was a really enjoyable read, the romance develops quite quickly, especially since Max was lying to Laine when they first met, but it wasn't so fast that it bothered me. I did like that Max admitted his lies and apologised to Laine, it was understandable why he acted the way he had but at least he was willing to own up to his actions. Laine was able to forgive him because she knew he had very good reasons for everything he'd done and I appreciated them talking things through like adults rather than letting a big misunderstanding cause huge arguments and lots of unnecessary drama. The mystery side of the story was good and although I didn't love Big Jack's character (he was far too selfish for my liking) he was charismatic and I could see why Laine had worshipped him as a child. Even though it's part of a series we still get a decent ending to the story so you're not forced to read the second book just to get answers....more
I really love making these Incredibuilds models and the Hogwarts Express is the most detailed model yet in the Harry Potter series. It has over 140 piI really love making these Incredibuilds models and the Hogwarts Express is the most detailed model yet in the Harry Potter series. It has over 140 pieces and a lot of them are quite small so you have to be careful pushing them out of the boards but all of these models are pretty easy to put together as long as you follow the instructions and only take out one piece at a time as you're ready for them.
The finished model looks great, the train has moving wheels and a detachable carriage. They've also printed a lot of detail on the pieces so even unpainted it looks great. All of these model kits come with a booklet but they're only about 30 pages long so don't buy these kits expecting to spend much time reading. This booklet did have lots of fun facts about the Hogwarts Express, including the actual train from the movies that was pretty much nothing but scrap metal before it was restored for the series.
These kits are perfect gifts for Harry Potter fans, you get the fun of making them and then you get a cute little model to display on your bookcase afterwards.
Lost in You is the third book in Lexi Blake's spin off from the Masters and Mercenaries series about the lost boys who were rescued by McKay-Taggart. Lost in You is the third book in Lexi Blake's spin off from the Masters and Mercenaries series about the lost boys who were rescued by McKay-Taggart. The men all lost everything when their memories were wiped by evil scientist Hope McDonald and they're all still trying to figure out who they were and where they came from. In the meantime they've become as close as brothers and they all look up to Robert as their leader. Robert is determined to help his brothers find out who they are, he wants to find out exactly what was done to them and stop it from ever happening to anyone else but he's pretty much given up on the idea of finding anyone from his own past. He'd rather focus on the future he is longing to build with fellow team member Ariel.
We've seen the connection between Robert and Ariel throughout the first two books but for some reason Robert has always been holding himself back. Now we start to realise that he's terrified of hurting her. He doesn't remember his old life but he suffers with awful nightmares and he knows there is a darkness inside him that he doesn't want to taint Ariel with. Ariel has been in love with Robert for months but she's also afraid of what will happen if he ever gets his memory back. Could he have family out there waiting for him? Would he still love her if he could remember his past? The questions plague her and make her wary of committing to a relationship with him. But they've been circling each other for so long now and something has to give, once they've crossed that line it'll be impossible to step back over it.
The group is still surrounded by danger on all sides as rogue CIA agent Levi Green is still trying to get hold of the drugs that wiped their memories. He wants to recreate the experiments using American soldiers but the lost boys and McKay/Taggart will stop at nothing to prevent that from happening. They are also focused on trying to get hold of any information they can about McDonald's experiments, partly to stop it falling into enemy hands but also so they can try to figure out a way to reverse the damage that was done to them. With their enemies closing in, and Ariel keeping some pretty dangerous secrets, things are officially about to go FUBAR.
This was definitely my favourite book in the series so far, I loved the romance between Robert and Ariel but I'm also really enjoying getting to know the other lost boys better and it's been really interesting to see them slowly starting to uncover more about their pasts. There are some HUGE revelations in this book, ones that completely took me by surprise, and I'm already desperately waiting for the rest of the series. The ending made me think Tucker's book is next which I'm really excited for but I also hope we're going to see a lot more of Esra and Solo soon....more
There is something I had suspected from pretty early on in the first volume that meant I had a rock in the bottom of my stomach from the minute I pickThere is something I had suspected from pretty early on in the first volume that meant I had a rock in the bottom of my stomach from the minute I picked up this book. I went in expecting an emotional read but I honestly had no idea how much it would wreck me, I don't think I've ever read another book that has hit quite so close to home or made me sob so hard as this one. The fact that I'm tearing up again now just thinking about it and that I've been an emotion mess all day since finishing this in the early hours of the morning probably tells you how much it affected me.
That just proves how fantastically well this entire trilogy was written though, how invested I became in lives and friendships of these characters and how much I was rooting for them all to be happy. The last 30% of this book broke me and was gut wrenchingly painful to read but at the same time it was utterly beautiful and does leave you with a sense of hope at the end.
I really can't say much more than that because I don't want to give any spoilers but I will say this is probably the best contemporary romance series the I've ever read. It's definitely one that is going to stick with me for a very, very long time and I can't recommend it highly enough. Thank you Julie Ann Walker for one heck of a ride!...more
The story picks up immediately from where Volume One ended and there is absolutely no point in starting reading here, it really is one story across thThe story picks up immediately from where Volume One ended and there is absolutely no point in starting reading here, it really is one story across the entire trilogy and you'll be missing out big time if you don't start at the beginning. I absolutely loved the series though so I would highly recommend giving it a try, especially if you love character driven stories full of love, friendship and fantastic characters.
We continue to see the story from three points of view but this time around Luc and Cash's chapters start with one of the letters teenage Maggie wrote to them after they left. This gives us a real insight into just how lonely she was without them but it also shows her start to put her life back together and turn into the woman we're getting to know in the present day. There is such a fantastic bond of friendship between all three of these characters but for the first time Maggie is starting to question whether her romantic love for Cash is just based on young love and teenage infatuation, especially when she starts to realise that Luc is the one who is always there for her AND the one who makes her heart flutter.
Cash is going downhill fast, he's continuing to drink to block out the pain from his brain injury and he seems determined to push Maggie away but it's obvious he still loves her and the mixed messages he keeps sending aren't helping Maggie to make up her own mind about how she feels. Luc is stuck in the middle, he has been head over heels in love with Maggie since they were teenagers but he genuinely wants both her and Cash to be happy even if that means he remains the third wheel always on the outside of their relationship. My heart absolutely breaks for Luc, he's one of the nicest characters I've ever come across and I think anyone would be lucky to have a friend just like him. Honestly I usually hate love triangles with a passion so I'm surprised by how much I loved this series but it was just so well written that you can't help but root for all three of the main characters.
This instalment gives us a lot of answers about what happened that night after prom in the Bayou and it's heartbreaking when you realise how much Maggie has been needlessly carrying on her shoulders since that night. We also find out more about Cash's father and the policeman that has been harassing the three friends ever since Luc and Cash came back into town. It ends with two absolutely killer cliffhangers that meant I had to dive straight into the third instalment and I ended up staying up all night so I could finish out the series which is probably the best endorsement I can give to say how highly I recommend it....more
Maggie and Luc were best friends in high school, two lonely kids who bonded over a shared love of Harry Potter they only really had each other and theMaggie and Luc were best friends in high school, two lonely kids who bonded over a shared love of Harry Potter they only really had each other and their friendship meant everything. Luc secretly harboured romantic feelings for Maggie and hoped for more but the minute she met new boy Cash it was love at first sight. That could have been the end of their friendship but Luc wanted Maggie to be happy and he had also become good friends with Cash. The three of them became a trio, Luc was on the outside of them as a couple but as friends they couldn't have been closer.
Ten years ago Cash walked away from everything to join the army leaving a heartbroken Maggie behind. What was even worse is that Luc went with him leaving her totally devastated and alone. They both broke off contact completely and Maggie never knew why. Now Cash and Luc are back and seem determined to pick up their friendship where they left off but neither of them are being upfront about exactly what happened all those years ago to make them leave.
Falling back into their friendship is easy, and if she's honest with herself Maggie knows she never stopped loving Cash but how can she trust him with her heart again if he won't explain his previous actions. Cash has his own demons to deal with, injured in an explosion he's suffering with constant pain and he's self medicating with alcohol to make it through the day. He's returned home with a plan but I'm not convinced he's being honest with either Maggie or Luc about what that plan is. Luc is trying to help get them back together even though he still loves Maggie himself, Maggie is still in love with Cash but finds it easier to trust Luc, basically it's all a little complicated.
It can be very hard to sell me on any kind of love triangle but this isn't quite like any other I've read. There is such a strong friendship between all of them that it doesn't feel like they're competing against each other. Luc is practically a saint in the way he's so willing to see his best friends be happy together even if it breaks his own heart in the process. At this point I'm 100% rooting for Maggie to end up with both of them but I have a sneaking suspicion about what is to come that makes me think I'll need a whole lot of tissues as I read the rest of the series. Either way I can't wait to see what happens with this trio....more
Baseball player Gavin Scott's marriage is in trouble, he thought his relationship was pretty much perfect but after discovering his wife has been fakiBaseball player Gavin Scott's marriage is in trouble, he thought his relationship was pretty much perfect but after discovering his wife has been faking her orgasms for the entire time he's known her he felt humiliated and his first reaction was to walk away. Now that Thea is asking for a divorce he's realised what he's about to lose and now he's determined to do whatever it takes to get her to give him a second chance. The only trouble is he has no idea where to start. That is until a teammate steps in and invites him to a rather exclusive club. The Bromance Book Club includes some of Nashville's most successful men and one thing they all have in common is a wish to understand the women in their lives. They've decided that the best way to do that is by reading romance novels and they have a cunning plan to help Gavin get Thea back.
I love second chance romances, most books end when a couple gets married but meeting and falling in love is only a small part of a relationship, the hardest part is keeping that marriage alive. Thea and Gavin met and married very quickly after an accidental pregnancy, it's obvious that they were very in love but meeting, getting married and having twin daughters all in just over a year is a lot to deal with for any couple. Especially when you consider that Gavin's job has him travelling a lot and leaving Thea at home basically acting like a single parent. They love each other and they both adore their daughters but it's not so surprising that their relationship has hit a tough spot. Thea feels abandoned and uncared for while Gavin is hurt and humiliated when he realises that he's never really been able to satisfy Thea in bed and it's the final straw that broke the camel's back.
I really enjoyed seeing how hard Gavin was willing to work to win back his wife, he's really reluctant to even consider reading a romance novel at first but at the same time he doesn't want to lose his wife so he decides anything is worth a shot. The camaraderie amongst the guys from book club was just perfect, the banter had me laughing out loud and they made so many clever observations on Gavin and Thea's relationship. Thea was great too, she was learning to become independent and knew that she didn't need a man in her life to be happy but that doesn't mean she doesn't still love Gavin, she was just reluctant to let him back into her life in case she got hurt again. Once Gavin started dialling up the tension between them you could cut the chemistry with a knife and I was left wanting to shove the two of them into a bedroom together so he could practice his new skills.
It’s been a while since a book last kept me up until 5am but this was definitely a one sitting read and I couldn't put it down no matter how tired I got. Laugh out loud funny, great characters, a believable second chance romance and strong feminist themes, The Bromance Book Club has it all and Lyssa Kay Adams has earned herself a new fan. I'm ridiculously excited that the next book, Undercover Bromance, is going to be about Mack and Liv so it's an automatic preorder for me! ____________________
Thoughts before reading: A book about a bunch of guys creating a book club to read romance as they try to understand their wives better? Oh this is going to be hilarious!...more
I was so excited when I found out this was Rafe's book. I love his parents (Tess and Dante from book 2 in the series, Kiss of Crimson) and I've liked I was so excited when I found out this was Rafe's book. I love his parents (Tess and Dante from book 2 in the series, Kiss of Crimson) and I've liked what we've seen of his character in the last few books so I was curious to meet the woman who would steal his heart. Rafe is still reeling from the betrayal he suffered in the previous book and it's made him more determined than ever to help the Order bring down the Opus Nostrum terrorist group. So much that he's agreed to go undercover and he's even let his entire team believe that he was kicked out of the order and has gone over to the dark side to do it. Rafe's task is to infiltrate a group of criminals that the Order believe has ties to Opus and to try and get more information.
Rafe immediately suspects there is something off about one of the gang's members. Devony just doesn't quite fit the profile and that has nothing to do with how attractive he finds her. Devony actually has her own reasons for infiltrating the gang, she lost everything in the London attacks organised by Opus and she's going to do whatever it takes to avenge her family and stop the terrorists from destroying more lives. When secrets are revealed the two agree to work together but Rafe is still holding back and it could end up costing him everything.
Break the Day was another fab instalment in this series, lots of action and some progress made against Opus Nostrum but more than anything I loved the steamy romance between Rafe and Devony. I also really like that we now have female breed members too and I love that Devony is a Daywalker like Caris and Aric. Devony never had any formal training so it was a little hard to believe she'd managed to infiltrate the criminal group but she did have a lot of her father's old notes and she's obviously really smart so I was able to push that to one side easily. I enjoyed seeing her work together alongside Rafe and I think she's going to be quite an asset to the Order in the future. The fight is definitely hotting up and I'm looking forward to seeing Opus Nostrum destroyed once and for all....more
Ex Navy SEALs Chase and Ben are identical twins with such a close bond that they can literally feel each other's feelings and can pretty much read eacEx Navy SEALs Chase and Ben are identical twins with such a close bond that they can literally feel each other's feelings and can pretty much read each other's minds. Now they're both working as private investigators and for their latest job they've been hired by Julian Lodge to investigate a murder at one of the resorts he owns. The prime suspect is a massage therapist who was the last person seen with the victim but Julian has very good reasons to believe in her innocence and he's tasked Chase and Ben with not only finding the real murderer but also with keeping her safe.
Natalie's parents have always been in a D/s relationship so she grew up in the lifestyle and she used to take great pleasure in submitting. She always expected to one day find her own permanent Dom and settle down but her life was almost destroyed when she was kidnapped by a sadist who tortured and abused her. She managed to escape her prison but mentally she's never recovered from the experience and it's turned something she used to take comfort in into something that she's now terrified of. When one of her clients is murdered it takes her straight back into that awful place but as events spiral out of her control she has to find the courage to face her darkest fears.
I think Siren Unleashed was probably the darkest book in the series so far, it touches on some really difficult subjects like kidnap, abuse, people trafficking, and even self-harm as Natalie struggles to cope with her past experiences. You might think that would take away from this being a romance but I thought Lexi Blake did a brilliant job of getting the balance right. These serious topics were handled sensitively and I really appreciated the emphasis on abuse being totally different from BDSM, the major keyword in any BDSM relationship is CONSENSUAL so kidnap does not come anywhere close to falling into that bracket.
Although this story did have it's darker moments it's mainly focused on facing your fears and from Natalie's point of view it's about reclaiming your life back. Chase and Ben both had their own issues that complicate things at times but I absolutely loved the bond between them, the way they were always there for each other and that even when they disagreed with each other they were willing to work together to get what they wanted. These two probably come very close to being my favourite guys in the series and trust me that's really saying something because there have been so many characters I've fallen head over heels for! I also really liked Natalie, she had so much inner strength and I enjoyed seeing her overcome her fears and take what she wanted for once. I've said many times before that I'm totally hooked on these rereleases of Lexi's Texas Sirens and Nights in Bliss series, previously published under the pen name Sophie Oak, and that definitely continues to be the case. I can't wait for more books in this world!...more
The Culling Trials book 2 picks up Wild's story immediately after the ending of the first instalment so please be aware there will be spoilers for theThe Culling Trials book 2 picks up Wild's story immediately after the ending of the first instalment so please be aware there will be spoilers for the first book in this review. It's turning into a really fun series though so you should definitely check it out if you haven't already.
Picking up immediately from where we left off Pete has just walked into the bathroom and discovered that Wild is really a girl. Although he has a little trouble getting past the whole boob thing before he can even think about how her secret could affect the whole group if she's discovered! There is a very good reason that Wild has been hiding her true identity and her whole family will be in danger if anyone finds out who she really is so she's got to place a lot of trust in Pete to keep her secret.
I'm actually really enjoying seeing the friendship grow between Wild, Pete, Wally, Orin and Gregory, they're all from totally different backgrounds and have very different skills but there seems to be a genuine bond between them. You'll notice that I'm not counting Ethan in that grouping but he's a whole different kettle of fish and it's going to take a lot of work before I'll start trusting him.
Wild's secret is actually the least of their problem as the culling trials continue. There is danger from every direction and even working together is no guarantee of success but if they don't make it through Wild will never discover what happened to her older brother or why they tried to recruit Billy. She also needs to get to the bottom of whats going on with her childhood friend Rory, he's been holding out on her for a long time and it's clear he has information she needs if she's going to survive this experience.
I love how fast paced these stories are, lots of action and fun as they work through the trials but also a strong group of characters who are becoming fast friends. There are secrets galore that I can't wait to uncover and I'm just glad we don't have to wait long for the next book!...more
As the queen of the island Calanthe you might think Euthalia is in charge of her own life but she is just1st read - September 2019 2nd read - June 2020
As the queen of the island Calanthe you might think Euthalia is in charge of her own life but she is just as under the tyrant emperor's control as everyone else. Her father agreed to an arranged marriage between them in order to keep Calanthe's independence but it was just another type of chain. Since her father's death Euthalia has done everything in her power to keep the emperor at arm's length and to protect her people but she knows time is running out and soon she will be forced into marriage with a man she despises.
Conri was raised as the crown prince of Oriel but when the emperor invaded his country was destroyed and his people were sent to work in the mines as prisoners of war. Con has been plotting revenge for years, slowly building an army of freed slaves and taking back land from the emperor. According to prophecy if he can gain control of the Abiding Ring he will succeed in his goal to destroy the empire but the magical ring is connected to Euthalia and can't be removed until her death. Both Conri and Euthalia have similar goals but can they trust each other enough to form an alliance? And even if they do will their rebellion have any chance of success?
The Orchid Throne is the first book in Jeffe Kennedy's new fantasy romance series and it does a great job of introducing us to a new world. This is a world where magic is forbidden and those with power have to keep it hidden, a world where to defy the emperor means certain death. It is extremely dangerous for Euthalia and Conri to even discuss rebellion but fate sometimes has a way of forcing your hand and sometimes you have to take the opportunities that come your way.
As the first book in the series this book takes the time to introduce the main characters separately before they are introduced to each other. We get to know them both and see just how their lives have been affected by the tyrant emperor. Their lives are very different but they've both had their own struggles to deal with and are united by the need to protect their people against a common enemy. I love it when you get a slow build romance and that's exactly what happened here, when you're reading a series you don't want everything to happen too quickly or there is nothing to look forward to later on. This had just enough romance to keep me happy and I'm looking forward to seeing more of Euthlia and Con's relationship in future books. I also can't wait to see how they continue their rebellion against the emperor. This was a great start to the series and it's definitely left me ready for more....more
This series has been an emotional rollercoaster from beginning to end. Eroan and Lysander's journey has been far from easy and they've both been tortuThis series has been an emotional rollercoaster from beginning to end. Eroan and Lysander's journey has been far from easy and they've both been tortured along the way but they're still determined to make a better future for their people. Eroan has done everything he can to get the elves to accept Lysander but they're still wary and a further betrayal by one of his own threatens to ruin everything. Lysander was always waiting for things to go horribly wrong so the betrayal doesn't come as such a shock to him but that doesn't make it any more welcome.
In Blood & Ice we get to find out exactly what Lysander is capable of and why the other dragons are so scared of him, we see Eroan make some difficult decisions about the people he's dedicated his entire life to protecting and there's a final showdown between the elves and dragons that ends in a way you probably won't be expecting. The characters we love face dangerous and difficult trials that will change them forever and some characters we hate will get their comeuppance. Nobody is safe in this world, enemies are closing in from all directions and nobody will come out unscathed.
This was a fabulous ending to the trilogy and it left me really excited to read Akiem's spin off book, The Black Prince. I'm very curious to see how much the world will change thanks to revelations at the end of this book....more
I've been a fan of the Demonica series for years now and it's always exciting when I get a new book in my hands. After a few years of shorter novellasI've been a fan of the Demonica series for years now and it's always exciting when I get a new book in my hands. After a few years of shorter novellas I was really looking forward to reading a full length novel again and Larissa Ione didn't disappoint, let's just say that Reaper is a game changer in SO many ways. This is the first time we've had a whole extra book about a couple who are already living their HEA but considering Azagoth and Liliana have had so much going on as side characters in the Demonica Underworld stories I was really glad that we got to revisit them, especially with the way things played out in this story.
This is a really difficult book to review because it would be far too easy to give spoilers but there were some absolutely shocking things happening that completely threw me for a loop. Unexpected betrayals, surprising allies, answers to questions that have been building for several books and although this book was in some ways an ending it also opens the world up for a whole new spin off series which I'm REALLY looking forward to!
Fans of the series really don't want to miss this book but if you're new to the world please don't start here, you'd be missing out on so much that it really would be a waste. This is a series that has been building up for years and there is so much to explore as you get to know all the characters involved, there are a lot of appearances from the earlier couples in this book that are fantastic because we already know them so well. In fact this made me nostalgic and has left me seriously tempted to start a series reread. Reaper is a highly recommend instalment in the Demonica world and it's as series that all paranormal romance fans should be reading....more
Christina Henry's Black Wings series is another one that's been on my radar for years but I haven't quite got around to reading it yet. Although I'm not familiar with this world I still enjoyed the story and I'm now even more curious about the rest of the series. The main character Madeline has been sent to track down a pair of red shoes but when you're given a mission by Lucifer you know things are going to get complicated and these aren't any ordinary shoes. I liked Madeline and this was a fun read....more