Book #Review: Sleep With The Lights On (Brown & De Luca # 1) by Maggie Shayne .@maggieshayne .@HarlequinBooks

Book Title: Sleep With The Lights On ( Brown & De Luca 1)
Author:  Maggie Shayne|Website| Twitter| Facebook| Instagram

Publisher:  Harlequin MIRA
Genre:  Romantic Thriller, Romance, Paranormal Romance
Series/Standalone: Book 1
Format: ebook, Mass Market

Cost: $4.99

Pages: 384

How I got it: Purchased

Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | IndieBound
Publication Date: August 13,  2013
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Synopsis:

Through the eyes of a killer...

Rachel de Luca has found incredible success writing self-help books. But her own blindness and the fact that her troubled brother has gone missing have convinced her that positive thinking is nothing but bull.

Her cynicism wavers when a cornea transplant restores her sight. The new eyes seem to give her new life, until they prove too good to be true and she starts seeing terrifying visions of brutal murders - crimes she soon learns are all too real.

Detective Mason Brown's own brother recently died, leaving behind a horrific secret. In atonement, Mason donated his brother's organs, though he's kept the fact quiet. Now he wants to help Rachel find her brother, but when he discovers the shocking connection between her visions and his own brother, he suddenly has to do everything in his power to save her from a predator who is somehow still hunting from beyond the grave.

This is a fantastic start to a new series that kept me engaged right up until the story ended.  The case drew you in and makes you wonder how the story is going to progress overall. All the main characters were well written, I mean we start the story with the serial killer in the process of hiding a body. Right from the get-go we knew the story was going to be wild.  We got to learn the motivation of all the characters as the story progressed and even though I understood why certain characters did what they did a good chunk of the shyt happening wouldn't have if they hadn't made the choices they did. Or you could say Fate would have stepped in anyway.  Either way, the story was so good.

I was fascinated by Rachel because she was a woman who was selling the idea of positivity like a drug but she refuses to believe it herself.  And as the story progresses and the changes come, her snark and the way she handles it all?? Just so good. While Rachel is one of my favorites, Mason really makes my heart hurt because I understood his motivations. He so badly wanted to protect his family from the fallout, yet his decision carries with it a lot of repercussions even he couldn't have foreseen. And you just know that somewhere down the line the other shoe is going to drop and when it does?!!! Shrapnel everywhere.  That moment in his apartment, when the instinct to protect overruling everything else?? That's a moment I can totally identify with.

Some of the secondary characters were well written a few were a bit one dimensional. We didn't focus on the outside people too much, just those within the case. I'm hoping as the series progresses we get more from them especially his partner. I haven't read a thriller in a while so having the book start with the POV of the killer?? Listen I was so hooked like my gawd this man is a trainwreck; which even he had to acknowledge and yet he couldn't stop.  When we go from him to Rachel and she's so normal that it's jarring to realize how far gone the killer is. As we progress we get Mason's side as well and between the three we get one hell of a story, as each character shares more from their perspective that enhances the story and I was just hooked.  Sadly as with any of these books, the plot was way too believable especially because serial killers seem to abound on the ID channel. It was all too real from Mason's choices and actions to what the killers did (even if their motivations didn't always add up).

As a first book in the series, it established really well how Mason and Rachel become a team and why it was necessary; while laying the groundwork for the other books to come.  The central case was the killer being identified (and that was easy, as we the reader knew who it was from the beginning, but the rest?? yeah that took a while) but how do you stop a killer who is supposed to be dead?? How do you accept the knowledge you now have?? How do you undo your mistake?? How do you protect the innocent without there being fallout for everyone?? While we knew the killer would have to be apprehended the ending was still very suspenseful and unpredictable. At least I didn't see all the twists that were coming but they didn't feel too far out from the plot so yeah, I was addicted to the very end.

I gotta say as a person who will eventually have to have the surgery Rachel had, I liked that Maggie didn't try to go too hard on the medical information but shared just enough so you knew what was happening. ( Also this is my wheelhouse and I hate when authors don't get it right, just share just enough to be believable but not enough for me to get annoyed when you get it crazy wrong).  My favorite scene is when post-surgery Rachel kinda freaks out but still tries to be 'strong' while quietly losing it on the inside. I also loved whenever Rachel talked because she constantly challenges Mason but at the same time is learning about herself now as a sighted woman.  Her snarky side has to be one of the reasons I love her, the other reasons are her family, she had an amazing relationship with her sister which I could totally relate to.

There are so many good moments in the book that made me marathon read it. I am however forever and always going to side-eye Mason for his choice, I mean I understand as there isn't anything I also wouldn't do for family, but being who is?? Way too many of his real-life counterparts make those choices and they aren't always for the altruistic reasons he did it.

I also liked (even though normally I wouldn't) that this was a slow burn romance, the story focuses more on the development of the case and the characters the romance takes a backseat (as it should as we are trying to survive here) and yet it still flavored their interactions and when they finally give in??? Awesome!! Must read the next ones immediately!!

 ★★★★☆

RECOMMENDATIONS

• Lisa Jackson
• Heather Graham
• Julie Garwood ( No paranormal slant but the Romantic Suspense) 

Have you read this series my loves?? Or can you recommend a few more like this??
Happy Reading my loves, 

Book #Review: A Discovery of Witches (All Souls Trilogy 1) by Deborah Harkness

Book Title: A Discovery of Witches ( All Souls Trilogy 1)
Author:  Deborah Harkness |Website| Twitter| Facebook| Instagram

Publisher: Viking Penguin
Genre: Paranormal Romance, Paranormal Sci-Fi
Series/Standalone: Series Book 1
Format: Hardcover

Cost: $10.99

Pages: 572

How I got it: Purchased

Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Books A Million
Publication Date: February 2011
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Synopsis:

Deep in the stacks of Oxford's Bodleian Library, young scholar Diana Bishop unwittingly calls up a bewitched alchemical manuscript in the course of her research. Descended from an old and distinguished line of witches, Diana wants nothing to do with sorcery; so after a furtive glance and a few notes, she banishes the book to the stacks. But her discovery sets a fantastical underworld stirring, and a horde of daemons, witches, and vampires soon descends upon the library. Diana has stumbled upon a coveted treasure lost for centuries-and she is the only creature who can break its spell.

I read this after watching the show on tv. I absolutely loved the show adaptation (and will be doing a review later) I thought this was a very good story with unique mythology which made me love the story even more.  In the book we are introduced to Diana who is a witch who doesn't practice magic due to a tragedy in her past she refuses to associate with anything having to do with magic and as such choose to study history and Alchemy.  Her belief is that science took away the chance for magic to interrupt her life. And she was right until a magical book lands in her lap and puts her on a collision course with all the things that go bump in the night.

I have to say that after watching the show and liking the Diana we meet there at times the Diana in the book is a bit weaker in constitution. ( I know I know it's not fair to conflate the two but the comparison lingers. In the book, Diana isn't willing to embrace her magic, her legacy or herself even after being shown that her previous beliefs were erroneous. She takes a "bury her head in the sand" kind of approach to life and when you're talking about trying to stay alive that's not the best way.  There are a great many more details within the book that showcase that Diana is way more unique than she believes. From her family's magical genetic make-up to the things she herself has found out by trial and error.

While the overall story is really engaging, and the writing is clearly written with love and attention to detail, history and every sentence has a purpose, it felt rather like ten words were used when five could have sufficed.  The beginning of the book was a bit slow to build up the characters and I think if I hadn't watched the show already I'm not sure I would have finished this book as quickly as I did. I read this in three days in an attempt to get to the cliffhanger from the show and get all the good stuff in before the end. The story does eventually pick up the pace of action, storylines converging and incidents happening all at once.  Considering the size of the book I do wish we had gotten more background on some of the characters who came to mean something to Diana in the end.  They seemed to appear out of nowhere and who they are on the outside of Diana's immediate universe isn't known.

As the story progressed we learned as Diana learned more about herself and the man she's entrusting to help her navigate this new world. Diana blinded herself and was resistant when her aunts tried to teach her anything from childhood and this willful blindness is what puts her in the greatest amount of danger.  Matthew Clairmont has his reasons for protecting Diana and at first, they start with the book she retrieved that he's been hunting for the last 150 years.  It's however, no longer the main reason and as enemies make themselves known Matthew has to battle against his basic nature to hunt everything that threatens Diana down and kill it. Not just because he knows Diana wouldn't like it but because it would start a war that would expose them to humans.

Matthew was certainly one of the most intriguing characters, he tried to keep as much of himself back from Diana as possible and learning about him was like pulling teeth. However, for a vampire his age he's a walking treasure trove of knowledge that Diana is at first intrigued by then drawn to.  Reading about his life and his adventures is one of the reasons I was so drawn to the story. As the story progressed and more about him and his connections to the book come to light I became even more immersed in the book and couldn't put it down until we knew what happened and why.

Once we established that they were going to flaunt the rules and take on the Council I'm not sure why Matthew kept resisting the consummation of their relationship. I know he kept saying as a vampire he has plenty of time, but humans/witches die easily, was he hoping that by holding back this part of himself he would be able to survive her?? Who knows, I'm going to read the other two books to find out though.  While I did like Matthew, I didn't like that he played his cards so close to the chest. Even in cases where it was absolutely necessary for him to divulge information he kept as much as he could to himself until the last second.  Which didn't always end well for him and yet he persisted in doing it.  o_0

Some of the major questions I had were what was in the ampule?? Who altered Ashmole 752?? What other powers does Diana have?? What exactly did her parents know?/ I want to learn more about the characters who are now apart of Diana's world.

 

 ★★★★☆

RECOMMENDATIONS

• Maggie Shayne's The Portal Series 

Happy Reading my loves, 

Book #Review: Seduced by Fire (The Submissive Series 4) by Tara Sue Me

Book Title: Seduced by Fire ( The Submissive Series 4, Partners in Play 1)
Author:  Tara Sue Me |Website| Twitter| Facebook| Instagram
Publisher: New American Library/ Penguin

Genre: Erotica Romance, BDSM Romance
Series/Standalone: Series Book 4
Format: Trade Paperback, ebook

Cost: $15.00

Pages: 274

How I got it: Traded on Paperbackswap

Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Publisher
Publication Date: March 4, 2014
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Synopsis:

Tara Sue Me became a worldwide phenomenon with the Submissive Trilogy. Now she presents a scorching tale about a risky passion too hot to ignore.

Julie Masterson craves a taste of danger.

Despite being familiar with the different games people play in the bedroom, she’s never given in to her curiosity about putting her body in someone else’s power—until a chance meeting with Daniel Covington, the seductive Senior VP of Weston Bank, draws her into a titillating new world of sexual experience, one that she never knew she desperately needed.

Daniel is highly respected within his community, but he hasn’t had an exclusive relationship for over two years. Yet Julie’s eager innocence is driving him to the brink of ecstasy, making him rethink his feelings about commitment.

As their sizzling connection heats up, Daniel is ready to take Julie fully under his command. But when the dangerous side of their play rears its ugly head, Julie will have to decide if she trusts him enough to surrender completely—or if she should escape before she gets burned...

I read and loved the Submissive trilogy (back when it was just three books), and when I found out there were more I kept picking up the books but somehow managed to skip this one.  Really I skipped picking it up because I could never find it in store when I had coupons and it never seemed to be on sale anywhere so I patiently waited and then it popped up on paperbackswap so I had to trade for it.

I picked this one up randomly the other day and devoured it in one sitting.  We are introduced to Julie and her business partner Sasha. Sasha is a submissive and she's shared somewhat with Julie who is curious but doesn't know if she wants to explore or how to go about determining what she wants.  When she meets Daniel he's with his Grandmother and everything about him screams high powered and business-like but they have chemistry and they both decide to explore it.

I loved how the story developed, from their meet-cute to Sasha's interference to the development of their relationship. It all felt real, like something that could happen to a friend while not being too outlandish.  I enjoyed that as a friend Sasha tried to keep everyone's secret but at the same time protect her friend.  I enjoyed Daniel's wit and banter with Julie. While liking Julie's no-nonsense life yet she craved something more.

The story develops and blooms just as their relationship does and as they explore what BDSM could mean for them. I liked that Julie didn't just jump right in and feel at home, she struggled with being a person who was so in charge of everything else in her life and yet here she needed to submit. I loved that she wondered, doubted and worked through it to determine where she really wanted to be. Daniel was a well written, well rounded Dominant. One who knew what he wanted but was willing to step back as the woman he wanted learned to explore this part of herself for the first time.

I loved how the discussion of whether it was right to deny pieces of yourself because it was easier to fit into society because it was brought up by the characters. Even though each character determined how much they disclosed to the world I was glad to see them addressing real-life concerns.

I was saddened when the adversarial part of the story came about because my gosh did that hurt my heart and scare me and Julie.  I wanted to know so much more about the men and women who made up the play group.  I loved the description of their dynamics and how the group tried to keep them all safe. From having demonstrations and even mentorship programs.

This wouldn't be an erotica book without touching on how sensual and steamy the scenes were. Whether the main characters were watching a demonstration or participating in their own scenes, the raunchiness and sensuality certainly raised the temps well above steamy.

I highly recommend for those looking for a well written BDSM novel with characters that are well rounded, extremely erotic scenes and hot Doms with paddles.

 ★★★★1/2☆

RECOMMENDATIONS

• Sylvia Day's Crossfire Series
• The Surrender Trilogy by Maya Banks
• The Submissive Trilogy by Tara Sue Me
• Danger Zone by Sierra Cartwright ( BDSM and Menage)
• Just about anything by Lily Harlem

Let me know if you have read this or if you have other recommendations for hot steamy BDSM.Happy Reading my loves, 

Book #Review: Afterburn/ Aftershock by Sylvia Day .@SylDay

Book Title: Afterburn/Aftershock ( Jax & Gia Bundle)
Author:  Sylvia Day |Website| Twitter| Facebook|

Publisher: Harlequin
Genre: Romance, Erotic Romance
Series/Standalone: Series
Format: ebook, Trade Paperback

Cost: $13.00

Pages: 400

How I got it: Purchased

Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Publisher
Publication Date: March 11, 2014
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Synopsis:

Never mix business with pleasure. Never bring politics into the bedroom. In a way I did both when I took Jackson Rutledge as a lover. I can't say I wasn't warned.
Two years later, he was back. Walking into a deal I'd worked hard to close. Under the tutelage of Lei Yeung, one of the sharpest businesswomen in New York, I had picked up a thing or two since Jax walked away. I wasn't the girl he once knew, but he hadn't changed. Unlike the last time we'd drifted into each other's lives, I knew exactly what I was dealing with... and how addictive his touch could be.

The inner circle of glamour, sex, and privilege was Jax's playground--but this time, I knew the rules of the game. In the cutthroat business world, one adage rules all: keep your enemies close and your ex-lovers closer...

Well if I'd have known how good this was I would have read it a long time ago. I should have known it would be phenomenal because Sylvia wrote it.  I fell into this story and didn't come up for four hours until it was done.

I went into this knowing nothing and I'm glad I did because I blew through this without any expectations and fell in love with the characters very quickly.  I loved Gia especially because she's a native NYer and she made something of herself despite the belief that she wouldn't be able to handle the world she was going for.  She also came from a close-knit family who had her back whenever she needed them to.

Gia now works again in New York for a well known and highly sought after curator, a former chef who had expanded beyond the kitchen to creating world-class restaurants and talent management.  Gia went after this position after her heart and dreams had been shattered and she figured how could she lose?? I loved that her mentor understood heartbreak and was willing to help because she didn't want Gia to make the same mistakes as her.

Jax is the son of a wealthy and influential family. His parents had a terrible relationship, one that he was determined never to end up in. When he meets Gia he can't get her off his mind, and he decides just a few months will be all he has.  That time passed and he couldn't let go, not until his family began to intervene.  Leaving Gia behind because his family needed him, he thought to never see her again, until she came in on a deal he was working on.

This is a second chance romance that was hot from the first time they were on the same page.,  They both wanted to deny their attraction but Jax had finally decided he wanted something for himself, even if it meant his family would have a hand in it.  There was a lot going on in this novel, and yet I never felt like it was forced or trite. This was two people learning to navigate the world they were born into and the world Gia was now a part of due to her work. Jax wanted to protect her and in doing so didn't understand that Gia was just as tough as he was even if she didn't appear like it. Gia had to learn that knowing something and being apart of it are two different things.

I really loved their conversations and their chemistry. My favorite part came in the second novel when they were fighting about seeing the real person, not the persona and Jax pointed out that he was well aware that Gia wasn' perfect, that she left her shoes laying around and she had cords all over the place. And it felt like such a real convo that two people coming together would have that I just laughed.

I loved their families, the fake personas and all, I wish we were getting more from Gia's family in particular because they were interesting.  I really loved her brothers and how much they loved her and each other.

I really enjoyed the background stories and wish we got more from her boss and her rival, I wanted to know how their story ended and how the rest of the players ended up.  But since this was just a glimpse into their lives we only got a few snippets from them. I would have loved if we had gotten a mention of the Cross family since Jax's family was so influential and Sylvia states she writes all her books in the same world.

The chemistry between Jax and Gia was off the charts and I really loved their intimate scenes. I noticed as they developed beyond just chasing their old flame to falling in love the scenes changed somewhat and became even more.  I loved it.

I highly recommend it. I'm especially glad I got the two in one combo because the cliffhanger form Afterburn?? No ma'dam I wouldn't have been able to deal with waiting. Also apparently Sylvia developed this into a movie and I can't wait to watch it.

 ★★★★★

RECOMMENDATIONS

1. Crossfire Series by Sylvia Day
2. Blindfolded Innocence (Series) by Alessandra Torre'

Happy Reading my loves, 

Book #Review: Taming Natasha (The Stanislaski Sisters)by Nora Roberts

Book Title: Taming Natasha (*From The Stanislaski Sisters Bind Up)
Author:  Nora Roberts |Website| Facebook|

Publisher: Harlequin Silhouette
Genre: Romance
Series/Standalone: Series Book 1
Format: Mass Market & Ebook

Cost: $7.99

Pages: 381

How I got it: Purchased

Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | IndieBound
Publication Date: December 12, 2016
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Synopsis:

When Spence Kimball sets eyes on Natasha Stanislaski, he's thunderstruck by the intensity of his attraction to the foreign beauty. While the former ballet dancer turned toy shop owner has a fiery temperament that keeps most men safely at bay, Spence can’t seem to resist her. But he isn’t sure Natasha would be interested in a single father. Sensing a hidden wound, Spence and his little girl join forces to find a way into Natasha's closely guarded heart. He'll do whatever it takes to tame Natasha's fears…and show her how to love.

Previously published in 1990

I picked this one because one of the apps I was using to read was acting up so I couldn't read the book I wanted to last night. I downloaded this because it's one of my Nora titles I wanted to complete for 2019 and as soon as I started it I fell into it.  Now keep in mind the reason Natasha's family came to the US was big in the 90s and yet it hasn't improved much because the same issues are going on right now.

I started this book and fell in love immediately with Natasha because she was a successful woman who had a strong sense of self and character and when she assumed the man she found attractive was someone without a moral code she was so offended and I loved how she put him in his place when he hit on her.  For Spencer, he felt like he's been hit by a ton of bricks, he hadn't acknowledged his feeling for years and now he's moved from NYC, settling his daughter into a new environment and here is a complication he hadn't expected and yet he's the most open to the feeling they both feel.

I loved the push and pull of feelings Natasha was having. I totally understood her fear of truly believing that her heart knew what it was doing this time because the last time it wasn't as discerning and had been returned to her battered and heavily bruised.  I love that for her even though her dreams had been shattered she still embraced parts of it by opening the business she did.  I love that she fell first for Freddie, then for Spencer.  I loved Spencer and the fact that he wasn't afraid to chase Natasha & still gave her space when she needed it. However, he wasn't above using any advantage he had when he could to make her realize she could trust him.

I loved her family and the way they embraced the changes in her life but had her back the whole time.  They embraced Freddie and Spencer but never gave Natasha's secrets away.  I loved how we got Freddie's opinion on what she wanted to happen and what she saw and her Christmas wish.  I loved how she made the story have so great levity when the adults were struggling to figure out what to say or how to say it.

My favorite moments where the ones when I couldn't help but bust out laughing. They had such good chemistry and moved well together. I loved when they argued when they worked together while Natasha tried to hold her feelings together but she kept falling in love with them and the family they represented.  I felt Spencer's confusions, Natasha's fear and they desire to get it right at the end. The kick to the chest when we learned everything in Natasha's past, the hurt that Spencer felt when he realized that he could lose her, and the fear that she had left him for good.  Those last moments made me sob and want to read as fast as possible so I could know what happened.

I even loved the glimpses of the people that made up their friends. I loved the town although I had to laugh at the idea that small towns don't have their issues with muggings and crime. I also love that Natasha is an immigrant, her experiences that she shared was something I could totally understand and knew how the community around her both aided and held her back. I totally understood her love of the fairytales and how they were her entrance into reading as they were for me as well.   Other than that I absolutely loved their back and forth and the fact that this was a character driven story.  I read this in one sitting and couldn't wait to dive into the next one.

 ★★★★1/2☆

Have you read this?? Share in the comments down below and let me know what other books you would recommend like this. 

As Always, 
Happy Reading my loves, 

Snippet Book #Review: Revealed: A Prince and a Pregnancy by Kelly Hunter

Book Title: Revealed: A Prince and A Pregnancy
Author:  Kelly Hunter |Website| Twitter| Facebook|

Publisher: Harlequin Presents
Genre: Romance
Series/Standalone:  Series
Format: Mass Market 

Cost: $4.50

Pages: 184

How I got it: Purchased 

Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Publisher
Publication Date: April 2010
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Synopsis:

When heiress Simone Duvalier sashays back into Rafael Alexander's life, Rafe can't wait for her to head back home and leave him to his empire-building in Australia. They once shared so much, but all that remains are memories and the desire to bed her....

Simone has never forgotten fiercely ambitious, achingly sexy Rafael--and neither has her traitorous body! But when a princely secret and an unplanned pregnancy threaten to change everything...can this dark-hearted bad boy become a prince and a father?

I've been on a kick of reading the smaller romance books in my collection this month, and this is the second book I've read that was a second chance romance with fun, and strong female characters.  Normally when you read these even if they are fun romances, the woman is at some sort of disadvantage to the man, even if it's just financial or social class. This time they are on even footing, they grew up together and fell in love and when faced with moving into a new part of their relationship fears ruled and they broke up.

Now there is a wedding and their siblings are getting married and they have to be civil with each other.  Simone would like to make amends and either get back with Rafael as friends, she misses the companionship they always had.  Rafael hasn't quite healed from their break years ago and can't be int eh same room as her much less be friends again.  And as their meddling siblings, time and circumstances work together Rafael and Simone find themselves fighting to discover if they can make another go of it.

I loved this second chance romance. I loved that they both were successful in their own right, but in this one place, and for the first time in a long time the man isn't a manwhore 9nothing wrong with it but sometimes it would be nice to have a nice guy and we got him here).   I loved that they could admire each other and their successes and that when they tried to get back together they had a few kinks to work out but they had a common goal.  I loved their conversations and their journey to their HEA. I loved that even if it meant losing him Simone was willing to stand in and defend him, even if he repaid that loyalty with his foolish attitude. 

 ★★★★☆

This was a great story even with the crazy reveal that leads them to come together. I really enjoyed their adventures and am going to read their siblings' story as well. 

Happy Reading my loves, 

Book #Review: Contracted: A Wife For The Bedroom by Carol Marinelli

Book Title:  Contracted: A Wife For The Bedroom
Author:  Carol Marinelli | Twitter| 

Publisher:  Harlequin Presents
Genre: Romance,
Series/Standalone:  Standalone
Format: Mass Market

Cost: $4.75

Pages: 187

How I got it: Purchased

Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Publisher
Publication Date: November 2007
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Synopsis:

A marriage is forever, not just for convenience...

Hunter Myles: this Australian's worth billions and can buy any woman he wants!

Lily Harper: perfect for a convenient marriage and she needs Hunter's help!

Hunter's ring is on her finger, but Lily knows it'll only be there for twelve months. Soon, a year doesn't seem quite long enough. Lily has fallen in love with her temporary husband!

This is the second time I've read this book and I still enjoyed it.  It's a quick romance, Lily is a woman who is working her way through life trying to make others see where they need to make improvements while dealing with their issues.  Hunter is there because he's heard about this group and is there checking it out for someone. Lily realizes that Hunter isn't really there to get help and she's protective of the group.  I really enjoyed that this story had a bit of a flip to it with Lily being the one with the most hangups even though his hangups are also pretty big.

Lily is one of my favorite characters because she sticks to her guns, when it appears that Hunter isn't going to live up to his promise she keeps hers. Lily went into this relationship with her eyes wide open and knew what kind of man she was seeing.  Hunter, however, has hidden more than we knew, because he's not dealing with his issues and he himself wasn't coping with the truth.

This book is centered on the characters and their relationship so we don't really see the secondary characters, they only showed up to highlight and push the characters towards the resolutions of their issues.  I did love that Hunter was able to see how much his secretary was making his wife uncomfortable and put her in her place very quickly.  This is mostly told from Lily's perspective, a few times, especially when the situation was tense Hunter's POV was shared.

I really enjoyed the progression of the romance and the story and love seeing the smaller romance that also develops within the story.  A good romance about two slightly damaged people working their way towards being less damaged with each other.

 ★★★★☆

RECOMMENDATIONS

• Mistress by Contract by Helen Bianchin

A quick fun read for nice beach days.  Happy Reading my loves, 

Book #Review: Mr Fix It by Crystall Hubbard

Book Title: Mr Fix It
Author:  Crystal Hubbard | Goodreads

Publisher: Indigo Love Spectrum (Genesis)
Genre: Romance, Contemporary
Series/Standalone: Stand alone
Format: Mass Market

Cost: $6.99

Pages: 304

How I got it: Purchased

Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble |
Publication Date: September 2008
Add To Goodreads
Synopsis:

After a hot handyman becomes intrigued by an uptight romance novelist who doesn't believe in love, he finds the tools to unlock her impenetrable heart.

This book has been on my shelf for years. I determined that this year I was getting it read. I'm so glad I did. I grabbed this one after finishing a particularly bad interracial romance read and needed something good to cleanse the palate and this one did the trick. As always I went into this one without reading the synopsis and I'm so glad I did. This had me hooked from the get go, I started late at night and didn't stop until the next morning.  This was such a refreshing take on a interracial romance. The characters were well written, witty and had great relevant conversations.

This one is great friends to lovers romance.  Khela moved into this building three years ago and fell in lust with the handyman she saw polishing the banister. Having been recently divorced she didn't see any point in pursuing the matter and lusted from afar.  For his part Carter was awestruck by Khela but didn't know how to approach her since she had all the "don't come near me " flags waving and simply lusted from afar as well. 

Recently Khela''s best friend decided to try her hand at matchmaking by slowly breaking, unplugging or clogging whatever she could to get these two in the same room.  Yet each time she did so Khela managed to find a way to run.  You see Khela is a great romance writer and she's being honored at an industry event and she can't possibly go by herself, so she and her best friend devise a plan to bring Carter, the perfect Mr Fix It as her date. 

From the get go there was chemistry and I just loved how these two were dancing around each other, wanting more but not sure how to ask the other for it.  Having been burned before by a man attracted to her success Khela wasn't trying to repeat her mistakes but as much as she wanted to be cautious Carter just kept drawing her in.  I loved how a simply initial meeting set the tone for their friendship, both of them made assumptions (especially Khela) that hindered their going forward quite a bit.  I loved the discussion about romance and it's relevance as a genre to the literary world. I loved the glimpse of romance from the POV of the author and her editor.

This was a fantastic, fun read that made you think, laugh and enjoy the sexy moments as well.  I loved that the issues they faced were more self inflicted issues, they had their baggage to wwork their way through and each time they overheard or misunderstood something it brought up more for them to confront.  In this relationship this time it's not the woman who has issues with being with the man, it's Carter's insecurities that are constantly being brought to the fore.  I loved their friends in the book as well because they were well thought out characters who challenged and propped their friends up.  Khela's issues with romance were being challenged daily as her friends fell in love as she grew more successful as she realized she was seeking but so alone because she was afraid of being hurt. 

I loved that there was more to Carter than meets the eye and I guessed way before she did a few of his secrets not all of them but a few.  I really enjoyed his interactions with her friends and his own friends.  I loved the glimpse of the future I saw hen reading from his POV even before the author wrote about his choices in the end. 

The only thing I disliked of this story,  was a scene in the grocery story, where they debated the usage of "him/her" for a character, and her going back and forth between them when explaining to Carter why she feared this person.  Looking at it and the description of the person you can see why she would be confused on the box to shove the person in, but at the same time why did it matter??  I'm not sure how to feel about he scene because on one hand it all around just felt like a moment that was supposed to be funny by poking fun at the unknown gender of the person and I wasn't really a fan of it. It also at the same time opened up the discussion of gender stereotypes we assign to people without their permission, because we don't know a person's belief about themselves and whether they see themselves as "him/her/ they/ them" and in that case it was very forward thinking for a book written in 2008.  So much of what was discussed is reflected in today's discussions so they book wasn't too far outdated. 

I really loved that so much of this story came down to miscommunication and assumptions. As each was confronted with their assumptions and the miscommunication was cleared up the story flowed and the relationship grew stronger.  I really enjoyed this one and highly recommend it. 

** I attempted to find social media links for the author but it doesn't appear she's active anymore and the few I found don't appear to actually be her. I have linked to her Goodreads as that's all I could find**

 ★★★★1/2☆

RECOMMENDATIONS

• Delaney's Desert Sheikh by Brenda Jackson
• The Wedding Date by Jasmine Guillory

Happy Reading my loves, 

Book #Review: Pride and Pleasure by Sylvia Day .@SylDay

Book Title: Pride and Pleasure
Author:  Sylvia Day |Website| Twitter| Facebook|

Publisher: Kensington
Genre: Historical Romance
Series/Standalone: Stand Alone
Format: Trade paperack

Cost: $15.00

Pages: 276

How I got it: Purchased

Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | BAM
Publication Date: Jan 2011
Add To Goodreads
Synopsis:

Wealth has its dangers... There are disadvantages to being an heiress, as Eliza Martin knows well. Fortune hunters flock to her, acquaintances lie and pander, and lately, someone is engineering "accidents" to propel her to the altar. But Eliza will not be bullied, and she will get to the bottom of this plot. All she needs is a man to infiltrate her assemblage of suitors and find the culprit. Someone not easily noticed; a proficient dancer, quiet, and even-tempered. ...so do certain men Thief-taker Jasper Bond is entirely too large, too handsome, and too dangerous. Who would believe that an intellectual like Eliza would be seduced by a man of action? But the combination of her stubbornness and the mystery makes the case one Jasper can't resist. Client satisfaction is a point of pride and it's his pleasure to prove he's just the man she needs after all...

I love reading Sylvia Day's writing.  She writes funny, quirky relateable characters.  Her women are smart, capable, beautiful and nerdy.  Needing something to pull me out of slump a book is trying to put me in I snagged this one from my shelves and finished it in two days and only because I didn't have time in one day to sit down and read it.

With a bit of a mystery, & intrigue, we meet our characters who are trying to solve a bit of mischief that is taking place in Eliza's life.  Eliza reluctantly hires Jasper as her private detective to help discover who is creating the mishaps that ere taking place in her life.  As it so happens she's a heiress who is planing to retire after the Season is over, she's adamant she won't be swayed into marriage by any of the men who are courting her and from there we get our story.

At times funny, and others, introspective, Eliza is a woman who knows her own mind.  With a quirky and absentminded Uncle who happens to be an Earl, she's left after her parents untimely passing to find her own way.  She's cared for by her mother's best friend and her Uncle, and she's doing her best to never follow in her mother's mercurial footsteps so she becomes enamored by numbers and figures, because those are easier to handle.  Jasper is a man who has moved his way up the ranks by virtue of his determination, friends with many of the Season's most eligible bachelors he's working on his revenge when he takes on Eliza's case.

It was a fast read, the story went by quickly with there being a new red herring and possible solutions to her original problem.  As the story progresses both characters have to make the decision to cling to the past and it's lessons or to move on and find their own way form there.  Eliza struggles with understanding her emotions and of course wondering after each decision is made whether this was something her mother would have done.  She feared the loss of control her mother had *which incidentally sounds a lot like being Manic depressive/Bipolar disorder*.  The different strings that kept being pulled characters from other books and series being mentioned, places being mentioned that show up in other books made this an even more richly curated story.

I loved the growth each character showed, while showing a bit of the struggle of letting go while trying to find a new way.  Of course I dont' even really have to mention how steamy and erotic the intimate scenes are because this is Sylvia Day and that is to be expected.  I loved the exploration they had and how they were together.

I did however wish this had another book to follow because there are several characters whose stories I would love to read. I also want to know what happened to Jane.  Who was the person eavesdropping in the shop?? When the villain was revealed and I was so annoyed because really?? Did you have to do all of that?? I never understand the villains and their motivations, is it really so hard to be a decent person??

A quick funny erotic read.  Highly recommend.

 ★★★★☆

Happy Reading my loves, 

Book #Review: Rule Breaker (Breed 29, Feline16) by .@LoraLeigh_1

Book Title: Rule Breaker (breed 29, Feline 16)
Author:  Lora Leigh |Website| Twitter| Facebook|

Publisher: Berkley
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Series/Standalone:  Series
Format: Mass Market

Pages: 448

How I got it: Purchased

Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble |
Publication Date: 02/2017
Add To Goodreads
Synopsis:

Lion Breed, Rule Breaker had just a few rules he didn't break. Not for anything. Not for anyone.
#1. Never have sex with a woman outside his own subspecies, especially a human woman.

#2. Never, at any time, accept a mission concerning a female when Jonas Wyatt stinks of a lie.

#3. Run don't walk, skip or stumble. Run, hell for leather away from any female, human or breed, when his desire for her appears, in any way, to have so much as a single sign of Mating Heat.

Now, the woman believes he's mated, is too helpless, to fun loving and too full of life to ever be able to protect herself, let alone aide him in protecting her.
If the damned animal inside him insisted on a mate, then why pick the woman it did? One that could be struck out at, at any time?
But, what he suspected was a mating, may not be. No swollen glands? No heat? Just his animal instincts rioting, pacing, irritated whenever he's away from her.
Okay, he could handle that. What ensues is a fiery affair that breaks all the rules of mating heat and will eventually endanger his mate with the very rules designed to protect the breeds when Jonas learns she's possibly been working against them

Dear Lora Leigh,

I want my feeling back.
Love
Aisha

One of the biggest books in the series and it had so much packed in there. We are still on the Nation's territory still hunting the four that disappeared from the labs that could help save Amber.  The mission is becoming even more critical as things seem to be speeding up for Amber, which is of course pushing Jonas & Rachel to further extremes.

Several times throughout this novel I got very frustrated with both sides of the Nation and the Breeds, if they would simply lay their cards on the table and stop trying to out manipulate each other they would get so much more work done. Especially because they are both on the same side, like stop the pissing contest and work on saving the child.  Jonas now knows some of the secrets of the Council and some of the Nation's secrets as well, the monster he is hunting is cunning, and Jonas needs him anyway he can get him to save Amber.

We get one hell of a emotional story, from the very beginning Lora came for our feels and she never let it go until the end.  This was one hell of roller coaster ride.  First we meet Gypsy on the worst day of her life, she's been kidnapped, is terrified and is facing worse at the hands of the Coyotes.  The next few pages break your heart for Gypsy especially because rescue comes only minutes later, in the form of Jonas and his men which include Rule.  Rule's Lion recognizes that Gypsy will be his mate, and proceeds to lose it on her enemies.  Rule of course as a man doesn't acknowledge this because he has only three rules that he lives by and one of the major ones is to avoid finding a mate.

I really enjoyed the story that unravels, as Gypsy grows up from that night to the outside world she became a party girl who was feckless and a drifter, but in reality she continued her brother's work.  her relationship with her parents was pretty bad because like Gypsy they blamed her for Mark's death.  However like most things in this book it actually goes deeper than that.  As the story progresses we get so many clues about how much deeper, about who the man her brother was and what he would have wanted for Gypsy.  I loved that even in his final moments Mark gave her the answers she would need later on.  Gypsy wasn't able to solve it because she stayed away from thinking about that night, she refused to think about what she lost and what her desire to have one teenage rebellion cost them all.

I loved watching the story develop, especially because we got so much going on, several subplots were pulled on in this one.  Dane is back in town raising hell like always, several of the couples form other stories make an appearance, Dog is here once again making you wonder where his loyalties lie.  Rule and Lawe talk about their past, we see them lose something as brothers but gain so much more as mates.  We really learn what happened in the labs with Rule's mother and see that even then how much betrayal took place.

Small subplots including Amber's major problem is solved and we get the setup for a few more books.  I can't wait until we get Dane's book, I both pity the woman stuck with him and hope like hell she will kick him in gear.  I will be honest and say that as much as I love the erotica aspect of the books I have begun to skim the sex scenes past the first few getting together ones.  It all begins to repeat after a while and after 29 books I'm pretty sure we know how Breed mating works.  Of course it wouldn't be a Breed story if we didn't have traitors in the midst, the Genetics council still doing their dirty work and of course the Unknown's manipulation added to the mix as well.

One of the things I will say I really liked is the separation of man and Breed, in this one the Lion made itself well known and like several others have had to, take care of the mate when the human is too stupid to step out of mother nature's way. An enjoyable read, definitely worth the effort especially because we got to see the set up for Graeme/Gideon's story and I can't wait to see what happens next for the Breeds.

And of course the bonus "news" story in the end?? I cackled.  Great way to give a quick recap and update.

 ★★★★☆

Happy Reading my loves, 

Book #Review: Stygian's Honor (Breed 27, Wolf 9) by .@LoraLeigh_1

Book Title: Stygian's Honor ( Breed 27, Wolf 9)
Author: Lora Leigh |Website| Twitter| Facebook|

Publisher: Berkley
Genre: Paranormal Romance, Sci-Fi Romance
Series/Standalone: Series
Format: Mass Market

Cost: $7.99

Pages: 374

How I got it: Purchased

Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble |
Publication Date: August 2012
Add To Goodreads
Synopsis:

Window Rock, Arizona, is the last known location of Honor Roberts, who vanished when she was just thirteen. It was her only sanctuary from the Breed research that would surely have ended in her death--one such insidious experiment should, indeed, have killed her. That she lived is both a miracle--and a great mystery. Stygian's mission is to find Honor Roberts, no matter the cost. Now, with the help of Liza Johnson, assistant to the chief of the Navajo Nation, he is closer than ever to his goal. But will the discovery of Honor Roberts mean the destruction of the mating heat that has developed between Stygian and Liza? The latest novel in the #1 "New York Times"-bestselling series. Stygian Black's mission is to use Liza Caine to fulfill the prophecy left to him by his mother, a Cajun voodoo princess. Liza and Stygian--brought together by an inhuman evil--will soon come together amid secrets and passion. Original.

Back to the desert and the Navajo Nation we go. this book follows closely on Lawe's Justice, with us still hunting the three missing children and trying to find them before Council Coyotes, and the monster in the desert does.  With that e have Stygian assigned to working with the Navajo council's people and he is assigned to Liza who is a bit more than she appears.

From there we get one heck of a ride trying to find the hidden children, the Navajo council keeps their secrets close to their chests, traitors abound, and Council Coyotes make themselves known.  Liza isn't just a secretary and we learn that in the first five pages of the book, as it literally picks up in a scene from Lawe's Justice.  She's actually pretty funny, and itty, sarcastic as hell a real fun character to read.  Since the Breeds have learned what Mating Heat is so many of them are loking forward to it and a fe fear it, Stygian was looking forward to it, so he was really good to his mate. I loved that he was Alpha without being domineering even though at times he had his moments of thinking about being such, he always put his mate's well being first. 

The major secrets the Nation has been hiding are starting to unravel and with them a traitor and his part in the destruction of the Tribes is revealed.  We see Jonas, Rachel and of course Cassie again, as they work as fast as they can to unravel the mystery of what is happening to Amber.  Major plot points are laid out for the following books with characters being set up and the big reveal being worked on.  With this one character's revelation we get one hell of a story, and yet we still have the mystery of why those girls where out in the desert that night.

I really enjoyed reading Liza and Stygian's story as they were like many of the couples misfits who weren't sure where they fit.  Liza especially had been hoping this was her year, to stretch to go beyond here she fit to be more, and some how it became the year of the Breeds. 

This one lays down some serious ground work for the books coming up with major characters being hinted at and the overall story being moved forward. I can't discuss more without spoiling the bigger story, but just know this one was actually a fun, wild ride and I thoroughly enjoyed it.  For me the second half of the book was the best once we had the major reveal it just flew by and we got serious action happening. 

 ★★★☆☆

Happy Reading my loves,