Reckless In Love (Maverick Billionaires #2) by Bella Andre and Jennifer Skully

• File Size: 3507 KB
• Print Length: 448 pages
• Publisher: Maverick Oak Press (11 Nov. 2015)
• ASIN: B017M768NG

Sebastian Montgomery rose from nothing to become one of the most powerful media moguls in the world. Yet beneath the seemingly perfect façade of his life, the past still haunts him. Because when he lost his parents in his teens, he also lost his faith in love. When he discovers Charlie Ballard and her incredible metal sculptures, he is awed, inspired—and he can’t help feeling things he swore never to let himself feel again. Soon, Sebastian wants not only Charlie’s art, he wants her as a woman, too. More than he’s ever wanted anything in his life. And what a Maverick wants, he always gets…

For Charlie, Sebastian offers the commission of a lifetime. Creating a magnificent sculpture for his new headquarters is a dream come true, but falling for the spellbinding billionaire isn’t part of the plan...until his luscious kisses entice her into total recklessness. He fascinates and captivates her, and as Charlie learns more about the dark depths of Sebastian’s past, all she wants is to heal him with her love. But can a man who has grown up thinking love is toxic ever believe that true love is real?

Cover:  There’s not much to like or dislike about these covers, at least the series matches.

I love Bella Andre’s Sullivans series, and I picked up the first book in her and Jennifer Skully’s Mavericks series last year and really enjoyed it, so was keen to continue with the series.

I really liked Charlie and Sebastian’s book.

Sebastian had an awful childhood and doesn’t believe in lasting relationships, so when things start to heat up between him and Charlie, it takes a lot for him to trust that he won’t destroy her like his father did his mother.

Charlie- I really liked her character.  An artist that works with metal parts found in junk yards, she loves her art, but she works so hard to give her sick mother comfort, wants to give her the best.  So when Sebastian wants to commission a piece from her, the insane amount he pays her goes straight into getting her mum better care.  I just loved her and the two of them together just fit so well.

I’m really enjoying this series so far, and it may become a favourite like the Sullivans.

4/5 stars. 

Forging Forever by Dani Wyatt

Format: Kindle Edition

• File Size: 1533 KB
• Print Length: 122 pages
• ASIN: B071RGQ3RQ

Standing on her tiptoes at a Renaissance Fair, Lela Marshall catches a glimpse of just how hot a forge can get. Even from fifty feet away, she’s never felt this sort of heat. And it’s coming from between her legs.

Miller Rhodes has a gigantic problem. He’s met the woman he knows is destined to be his. Only, she’s disappeared into a crowd and took his heart and his future with her. For once, even work can’t distract him from thoughts of the way her lips tasted for one brief moment under the July sun.

Can a sock-chewing puppy and a meddling mother be the solution to Miller’s problem? Will this knife forging hard-ass find his soft spot in the girl that stole his heart after just one kiss?

Author’s note: Lose yourself in the heat radiating from this filthy talking alpha. He’s a man of few words, but he definitely isn’t lacking on how to use his mouth in other ways. Suspend reality for a bit with this love at first kiss, happily ever after, scorching hot read. Safe, indulgent and *touches finger to butt and listens for the sizzle*

Cover:  The cover is pretty generic, I mean, not that it’s not a nice view or anything, it’s just that it’s not exactly stand out.

I liked the sound of this one- love at first sight at a Renaissance Fair.  And it was short and sweet but I don’t think the love at full sight was completely pulled off successfully.

Miller is definitely an alpha male…came across as slightly crazy at some points.

Lela was a pretty sweet character but I neither loved or hated her.

Over all, it was a nice quick read- took me half a day to read. 

I wish it had been bulked out a little more, because I think it could have been a pretty great read if it had been fleshed out a bit more, and their romance had developed a bit more steadily- I mean going from strangers to thinking about being parents in the space of like 5 minutes is cray even for me.

2.5 stars. 

Perfectly Imperfect by Harper Sloan

Format: Kindle Edition

• File Size: 1482 KB
• Print Length: 409 pages
• Page Numbers Source ISBN: 1518893414
• Sold by: Amazon Media EU S.à r.l.
• ASIN: B017O4W3V8

Mirror, mirror … who’s the fairest of them all?

I still cringe when I hear that line. A fairy tale that had girls pretending they were the fairest, the most beautiful, and the most entitled. A fairy tale most couldn’t grow out of turned my haunted childhood memories into a living nightmare. Girls who grew up believing that pile of garbage became the meanest of all ‘mean girls.’

And those mean girls were right – it was a line meant for all the beautiful people in the world – and I knew the answer would never be me.

The women with long legs, flat stomachs, and perfect chests.

The type of women Kane Masters gravitated toward.

Well, that’s definitely not Willow Tate.

No. That will never be me.

Because I’m completely imperfect.

And … I hate myself.

I have no idea what Kane could possibly see in someone like me when he could have them.

Cover:  I really like the colourful colours on this one, and that there’s no cover models on there so I can imagine the characters myself.

I stumbled across this one, I think on Goodreads and knew I had to read it.  And I’m so glad I did.  Willow Tate thinks the way I do- a woman on the bigger side that has been taunted, bullied and put down for her weight.

But when Kane Masters first sees Willow, he’s instantly struck by her, wants to get to know her.

Willow thinks it’s some kind of cruel joke and can’t believe movie star Kane would really be interested in her, but his passionate pursuit of her eventually shows her otherwise, and she will learn to be more confident in herself.

I found this book really kind of empowering, having a chunkier chick as the protagonist, and her self deprecating ways really did make her relatable.  I really felt for Willow, her half-sister and step-father were so cruel, but she rose above it.

Kane was just drop dead gorgeous, and I loved how he treated Willow, and how he made her see herself.

“When I look in the mirror, I won’t see the things they will most likely say about me. I’ll see me, Willow Tate, the woman who isn’t perfect, but she is perfect in her imperfections.” 

Sexy times were also well done.  Lots of sizzle there.

Definitely recommend picking up this sexy stand alone, that had a lot of depth to it.

5/5 stars.

Powerful Magic by Karen Whiddon

Paperback, 311 pages

Published November 1st 2005 by Love Spell

Kenric of Blackstone is tormented. Not entirely human, he cannot live with his past or with that he truly is. When he is needed to help in a battle that could destroy the Earth, it is Megan who gives him strength, Megan whose kisses heal him....

In a strange land and time, it became clear to Megan Potter why she'd been summoned. This wasn't about Faerie prophecies or wizardry, or even a desperate struggle to find her way home. This was a quest to save a man's heart. And for the first time ever, she felt destined to prevail, because with her help she knew this handsome prince could discover the most powerful magic of all—love.


Cover: I can admit it.  I love cheesy romance covers- the whole bodice ripper thing.  It's a weakness of mine.  And I kind like this cover.

I remembered taking this book out of the library when I was younger, maybe 15-16, and devouring it, and for ages I couldn’t remember what it was.  Years later (I’m now 25) after much random search engine entries- I found the book, Powerful Magic by Karen Whiddon.

And re-reading it was an interesting experience.  I remember loving this book, swooning over it and thinking it was amazing.  After the passage of time, and growing up a bit I didn’t hate this book, but I didn’t love it as much this time round.

I found the heroine, Megan to be simpering at times.  There’s a lot of cheesiness, and while I love me some cheesy romance, this didn’t hit me in the same way.

A fair few spelling and grammatical errors in the Kindle edition I read.

The magical elements didn’t seem very expanded on, and the ‘battle’ at the end was a little anti-climatic.

Over all, I enjoyed reading this for the nostalgia.  If I was rating this ages 15, it would have been a 5 star read, now, I would have to go for 2.5.

Blush For Me (Fusion #3) by Kristen Proby

• Format: Kindle Edition
• File Size: 1984 KB
• Print Length: 323 pages
• Page Numbers Source ISBN: 0062434799
• Publisher: William Morrow Paperbacks (7 Mar. 2017)
• Sold by: Amazon Media EU S.à r.l.
• ASIN: B01HM24IAG

New York Times bestselling author Kristen Proby continues to delight the senses with the latest novel in her delectable Fusion series.

As the take-charge wine bar manager of Seduction, Portland's hottest new restaurant, Katrina Meyers is the definition of no-nonsense, and she isn't afraid of anything. Well, almost anything: she hates to fly. When she's forced to travel on a death trap with wings, the turbulence from hell has her reaching for any safe haven—including the incredibly handsome guy sitting next to her.

Ryan "Mac" MacKenzie hasn't been able to get his sexy seatmate out of his head. The way she clung to him stirred something inside him he didn't think existed: tenderness. As the owner of a successful wine touring company, Mac thinks he's got a handle on what life can throw at him and he's not prepared for any surprises, especially in the feelings department. And when he brings a tour into Seduction, he sees the petite spitfire he just can't forget.

Mac is determined to discover what else they have in common besides fine wine and the inability to keep their hands off each other. But what will it take for two stubborn people to realize that what they have is so much more than a hot chemistry between the sheets and to admit to falling in love…?

Cover: I don’t know what it is, I can’t put my finger on it, but I’m just not a big fan of the covers for this series.  Also, for this particularly one, I’m not a fan of the cover models.

I’ve really enjoyed a few of Kristen Proby’s series – The Bordreaux being my favourite, but I’ve also enjoyed the With Me In Seattle series and the Love Under The Big Sky series.  While I’ve enjoyed the Fusion series so far, it’s not been my favourite.

I did enjoy this novel- Kat is a stunningly sexy character.  She runs the wine bar in the restaurant, has tattoo sleeves and dresses in vintage style dresses.  But she’s terrified of flying.  The passenger next to her calms her down.

Mac doesn’t do commitment, so when he finds out Kat and he are at the same wine event, both are happy for a fling, or ‘sexcation’.

However neither one of them expects to end up feeling more, so when they reconnect after, can they make a relationship work?

Definitely a great, quick contemporary romance read.  Would recommend reading the books in order.

4/5 stars.

Easy Magic (Bourdreax #5) by Kristen Proby

• Format: Kindle Edition
• File Size: 631 KB
• Print Length: 282 pages
• Publisher: Ampersand Publishing, Inc. (4 April 2017)
• Sold by: Amazon Media EU S.à r.l.
• Language: English
• ASIN: B01N9PXOHL

Family. Responsibility. Stability.

As the co-CEO of Bayou Enterprises, and the eldest of the Boudreaux clan, Beau is the epitome of these. Now that his baby sister Gabby is happily settled down, Beau has moved into the company loft in the heart of the French Quarter to be closer to his office while his own home is built. He doesn’t have time for anything but the family he adores and the company that drives him.

If only the bewitching owner of the herb shop downstairs from Beau’s loft wasn’t so damn tempting.

Mallory Adams is living the life. The good life. The best life for her. After years of hiding who she is, and the gifts she’s been cursed with, Mallory opened her little shop in the French Quarter, offering herbs and lotions for anything from soothing a sunburn to chasing those pesky ghosts New Orleans is known for out of a client’s home. Some call her eccentric, and some say she’s simply odd, and that’s okay with her. She is a bit odd, but in her experience, all of the best people are.

When an old pipe bursts in the loft above her store, flooding her storeroom, Mallory comes face to face with Beau Boudreaux, and she doesn’t need the clairvoyant abilities that have been passed down through generations to know that she’ll never be the same. Beau is her exact opposite; serious, straitlaced. He wears suits for Pete’s sake and probably wouldn’t know the difference between arnica and flaxseed if his life depended on it. But when he touches her, the electricity is through the roof and she’s smart enough to know that a chemistry like theirs doesn’t happen every day.

Can two people so very different possibly find their way to happily ever after?

Cover: The covers to this series are not my favourite but I don’t hate them.

YAAAAAAAS!  I have been looking forward to this book for ages, and it couldn’t be released soon enough.  The Bordreax series is my favourite from Kristen Proby, and I eagerly anticipate each ones release, but I was particularly excited for this one- because it’s a total opposites attract story.

Beau is the eldest of his siblings so has always shouldered the most responsibility.  He’s come across as a serious business man is the previous books, albeit one who loves and is dedicated to his family.

Mallory is a psychic that now runs a shop in the French Quarter selling herbs and all sorts of lotions.  She seems the total opposite to Beau, and yet the chemistry that sparks between them whenever the two are in the same room literally leap off the page.

I loved seeing Beau fall for Mallory, it made my heart melt. 

“You have no idea how important you’ve come to be to me, and I don’t know how to explain it. But I will say that I’m not going anywhere, certainly not because you have a queasy stomach.” And now my stomach is moving again, but with butterflies now. 
“You say the sweetest things,” I whisper. 
“I don’t say anything that I don’t mean,” -Beau

Love. Him.

The supernatural elements brought in with Mallory being psychic was really interesting, it could have felt really weird and out of place but I don’t think it did.

I am really excited for Ben and Savannah’s story- poor Ben has waited long enough, we need to put him out of his misery already.

5/5 stars.

Sweeter Than Ever (The Sullivans 16.5) by Bella Andre

Format: Kindle Edition

• File Size: 5235 KB
• Print Length: 100 pages
• Simultaneous Device Usage: Unlimited
• Publisher: Oak Press, LLC (5 April 2017)
• Sold by: Amazon Media EU S.à r.l.
• Language: English
• ASIN: B01N4OKMRB

Millions of readers around the world have fallen in love with The Sullivans—especially Smith Sullivan, the movie star with the heart of gold.

Get ready to join Smith and his new wife Valentina in the novella SWEETER THAN EVER as they embark on their life together with the sweetest, sexiest, most surprising honeymoon ever. Seven days and seven nights of just-wedded bliss that will sizzle, make you laugh out loud…and tug on your heartstrings. After all, true love—and family—are what the Sullivans do best!

Cover:  Nothing stand out but I actually really like the covers for the Sullivans series, cute and romantic.  I’m a bit soppy like that.

I’m a huge fan of The Sullivans series, it’s one that I like to stay up to date on and read the books as they’re released- which says something.

I was looking forward to this little novella and I wasn’t disappointed.  I really love Smith and Valentina’s story, so it was nice to catch up with them, seeing them so in love on their big day and set off on their honeymoon.   Which doesn’t exactly go to plan, but they still end up enjoying themselves and each other.

I loved seeing these two characters again, I only wish it was a little longer (something I find myself thinking a lot with novellas).

4.5/5 stars.

I Do, Babe (Hades Hangmen 5.5) by Tillie Cole

• Format: Kindle Edition
• File Size: 4826 KB
• Print Length: 77 pages
• Sold by: Amazon Media EU S.à r.l.
• Language: English
• ASIN: B07168XH8V

WHEN DARKNESS AND LIGHT COMBINE, DESTINED SOULS WILL IGNITE . . .

Connected since childhood.
Two souls: one dark and one pure.
Bracing to take the greatest step of all.

River ‘Styx’ Nash loves his woman. Ever since he met Mae at the fence of the cult that had kept her captive as a child, he has never loved anyone else. He loves her black hair, her pale skin and of course, her ice-blue ‘wolf eyes’.

Since Mae came crashing back into his life, his only wish has been to marry her; finally to make her his wife. But now the wedding is booked, and only weeks from forever having Mae by his side, a lifelong problem is plaguing him.
He wants to marry her; he has never wanted anything more . . .
. . . if only he could speak the words and declare it to the world.

Salome ‘Mae’ Nash’s life had been filled with heartache and pain . . . until, at age eight, she met a strange dark-haired boy from the outside world. Years later, and reunited with her great love, Mae is ready to solder her heart to his. Finally, Mae is getting ready to marry her man. But her fiancé has become withdrawn. Something is deeply troubling him.
But Mae has no idea what.
Or what to do to help.

Can Styx open up and conquer his deepest pain? Or will the infamous Hangmen Mute allow his fears to overcome his love for Mae and watch their much-anticipated wedding crumble to dust?

Dark Contemporary Romance. Contains explicit sexual situations, offensive language and mature topics. Recommended for age 18 and over.

***I Do, Babe: A Novella (Hades Hangmen #5.5) is to be read AFTER Damnable Grace (Hades Hangmen #5)***

Cover:  I live for this cover- it manages to be both romantic and giving off those dark vibes that Tillie Cole does so well.

I Do Babe is a wedding novella and I was so excited to get my hands on it.  It’s for Mae and Styxx, the couple from the very first book, It Ain’t Me Babe, and even though we’ve seen them in the other books in the series, I like that we get a little novella dedicated to them and their long awaited wedding.

Because of club business, Styxx and Mae have had to delay their wedding.  Styxx wants it to be perfect for Mae, and he wants to stand up in front of his club and declare his love for Mae by speaking his vows, despite his speech impediment.

Seeing him struggle to speak his vows just endeared me all the more to Styxx.

A great little novella that I loved.  I really enjoyed seeing more of them, and I hope we get more little novellas for this series.

5/5 stars.

Damnable Grace (Hades Hangmen #5) by Tillie Cole

• Format: Kindle Edition
• File Size: 1266 KB
• Print Length: 465 pages
• Sold by: Amazon Media EU S.à r.l.
• Language: English
• ASIN: B06ZY5H1DX

EVEN THE BROKEN, THROUGH LOVE, CAN FIND GRACE...
Secrets never stay hidden.
The burden of guilt never lifts from the heart.

Born and raised in The Order of David, Sister Phebe knows nothing but cult life. Head of the Sacred Sisters of New Zion, Phebe was groomed from childhood for one purpose: to seduce. Prized as a harlot, as a New Zion whore, Phebe is taken from the doomed cult by Meister, the notorious leader of the Aryan Brotherhood. Taken as his possession. Taken to be the woman who will obey his every sexual demand. Under his heavy hand, Phebe finds herself in a place much worse than she could ever have imagined... with absolutely no one to help. And no glimpse of hope.

Xavier ‘AK’ Deyes is content with his life as Sergeant-At-Arms of the Hades Hangmen. Leader of the infamous ‘Psycho Trio’ and ex-special ops sniper, AK knows how to fight. Experienced in warfare and schooled in military operations, AK is vital to the Hangmen. When his Vice President needs help retrieving his missing sister-in-law, Phebe, from a Klan-funded trafficking ring, AK volunteers to go in. AK remembers the red-head from New Zion. Remembers everything about her from the single time they met—her red hair, blue eyes and freckled face. But when he finds her, heavily drugged and under Meister’s control, her sorry condition causes him to remember more than the beautiful woman he once tied to a tree. Saving Phebe forces hidden demons from his past to return. A past he can never move on from, no matter how hard he tries.

As AK fights to help Phebe, and in turn she strives to help him, they realize their secret sins will never leave them alone. Kindred broken souls, they realize the only way they can be rid of their ghosts is to face them together and try to find peace.

Despair soon turns to hope, and damaged hearts soon start to heal. But when their deep, painful scars resurface, becoming too much to bear, the time comes when they must make a heavy choice: stay forever damned; or together, find grace.
Dark Contemporary Romance. Contains explicit sexual situations, violence, disturbingly sensitive and taboo subjects, offensive language and very mature topics. Recommended for age 18 and over.
***NOT a standalone. MUST be read as part of The Hades Hangmen Series***

Cover:  I really like the covers for this series.  They match the stories and characters really well, and they give off these dark vibe which is just perfect.

I love the Hades Hangmen series so much.  It was the first of her series that I started and it remains the favourite for me.  With each book I always worry that it ‘won’t be as good as the last’ but Tillie Cole never lets me down.

Phebe is Lilah’s sister, and while not a Cursed, she was used and abused by the order.  Made to recruit men to the Order by seducing them.

I was so glad we got an AK story- we haven’t seen an awful lot of him, but he was a gem of a male lead.  He had such a tragic backstory, that was slowly revealed, but we got hints of throughout.  He was a strong ex Marine but he was also very loving.

They were both troubled souls, that together just fit. 

While Damnable Grace is not my favourite of the series (although I’d be hard picked to actually choose a favourite) it was a great read that hooked me from the get go.  Although the first 10% was very hard hitting- it hurt my heart to read.

Definitely recommend picking up Damnable Grace, although you really must read the series in order to get the full effect of it.  Dark romance that must be read!

5/5 stars.

Harry Potter Studios Tour London VLOG

Kingswear, Devon- March 2017