Review:The Boyfriend from Hell

Synopsis: 

 Veronica Delaney is a bright and beautiful, young New York journalist who has had hard luck romantically and professionally. Her latest boyfriend left her for fame (and another woman, of course), and her latest assignment has her covering a bizarre satanic cult. But while following the story, Veronica soon meets the charming, polite, and devilishly handsome occult historian Richard Smith. Soon she’s embroiled in an exciting affair—at least until strange relics begin to appear on her doorstep and things start to go terribly wrong. 

The Boyfriend from Hell is a funny, astute psychological thriller about the mysteries of attraction and love’s power to hijack our good sense. This ebook features an illustrated biography of Avery Corman including rare images from the author’s personal collection



This one was a solid 3 flames for me. The writing is good, and the story is told in a way that keeps you turning the pages to find out what happens to Veronica/Ronnie. She's in a heap of trouble, for sure.

Veronica is a young free-lance writer. Her latest project has her researching a local satanic cult, complete with internet presence. In the process, she meets a Satan expert, Richard, who woos her. It was fairly clear from the start that Richard was suspicious, his lifestyle odd, but the sex is good and Ronnie is attracted to him. After Richard convinces her to try her hand at writing a book on possession, well, things get really weird and potentially dangerous for Ronnie.

I did like Ronnie's character very much. The fact that she seems very grounded makes what happens to her more interesting. Her very supportive roommate Nancy and her boyfriend Bob helped to give good balance to the bizarre. They contributed nicely to the story.

At times the POV changes were a bit jarring for me. I was expecting a bit more horror, and this seemed more of a psychological thriller, but that was okay. It's a classic story of almost-possession, and there aren't any big surprises. The ending was predictable and a bit too quickly resolved. I would have liked a little more of what happened to Ronnie after the scene in the church. It seemed clear that evil wasn't going to give up.

So if you are in the mood for a not-too-intense possession story, this might be for you.

Thanks to Open Road and Netgalley for the chance to read and review.

Review: All He Ever Dreamed by Shannon Stacey

Synopsis:

Josh Kowalski is tired of holding down the fort—better known as the Northern Star Lodge—while his siblings are off living their dreams. Now that his oldest brother has returned to Whitford, Maine for good, Josh is free to chase some dreams of his own.

As the daughter of the lodge's longtime housekeeper, Katie Davis grew up alongside the Kowalski kids. Though she's always been "one of the guys", her feelings for Josh are anything but sisterly. And after a hot late-night encounter in the kitchen, it's clear Josh finally sees her as the woman she is.

Katie's been waiting years for Josh to notice her, but now that he has, she's afraid it's too late. Giving her heart to a man who can't wait to leave town is one sure way to have it broken. But Josh keeps coming up with excuses not to leave—could it be that everything he's ever wanted is closer than he could have imagined?

---

One of my favorite scenes from All He Ever Needed (Book #4 in the Kowalski Series) occurs when Josh finally gets it off his chest that he’s tired of running the Northern Star Lodge. I really felt for what he was going through, and I eagerly awaited the book that would give him his happily-ever-after. All He Ever Dreamed did not disappoint. The path Josh takes to his happy ending was just terrific.

Josh’s brothers do much to help alleviate some of the pressure on him to run the lodge, but Josh still has that feeling that he has somehow missed out on something in life. Its a case of the grass is always greener, and he struggles with wanting to see life beyond Whitford.

Katie Davis is struggling a little bit too. She’s been in love with Josh for years, and to Josh, she’s a best friend. He doesn’t see her in the romantic way. At least not until Rose gets involved. She attempts to open Josh and Katie’s eyes to the realities that are right in front of them.

What I love about this series is that Shannon Stacey really knows how to take what I would call an everyday real life situation, and she makes it interesting and fun. All of the books in the series are that way, but this book in particular rang so true for me. Josh struggles with wanting his freedom over the family obligation that he thinks has been thrust upon him. It’s a wonderful moment when he realizes that he truly loves the Northern Star Lodge.

There are some very touching scenes between the Kowalski siblings in this installment too. They all come to Josh’s aid, enabling him to discover what he wants out of life. I also loved that it wasn’t solved with an easy-out where Josh just falls into Katie’s arms, although my heart broke for her in spots. It’s tough knowing that the right decision is the one that is going to really hurt. This series has just the right amount of emotional upheaval, followed up with a lovely happily ever after.

All He Ever Dreamed is a wonderful friends to lovers story. I might even have to say that Josh is my favorite Kowalski, or maybe Kevin, or Mitch..*sigh*

If you are looking for something fun with a dash of conflict and a happy ending --read this series. You won’t be sorry.

4 Flames

Thanks to Harlequin and NetGallery for the eArc in exchange for an honest review. 

Review: All He Ever Desired by Shannon Stacey

Synopsis:

A second shot at first love?

After college, Ryan Kowalski decided to leave Whitford, Maine, rather than watch Lauren Carpenter marry another man. Now his siblings need his help to refurbish the family-owned Northern Star Lodge and he’s forced to face the past sooner rather than later when he collars a vandal—and learns the boy is Lauren’s son….

The last person Lauren needs back in her life is Ryan Kowalski. With a bitter ex-husband and a moody teenage son, she has enough man trouble already. But her son needs to learn a few lessons about right and wrong, even if Lauren has to escort him to Ryan’s door every day to work off his crime.

With all this close contact, Ryan and Lauren can’t deny the chemistry between them is as powerful as ever. But can a few searing kisses erase their past and pave the way for a second chance at true love?

---

All He Ever Desired is the fifth book in Shannon Stacey’s Kowalski Brothers series. Usually around this time in a series, especially if I’m reading them one after another, I might find myself getting bored or that the stories are becoming less interesting or too similar.  Not so with this series.  Each brother and their story is unique, and I really love that about this series.  Oh, all the Kowalski’s are good men  but each faces different challenges when it comes to life and love.  

Ryan Kowalski hasn’t returned to Whitford since asking his best friend’s wife to run away with him.  I don’t blame him. That’s a tough offer to make and an even tougher rejection to face.  But when the Northern Star Lodge needs repairs that his business experience and crew can deliver, he does the right thing and comes home to lend a hand. The last person he needs to run into is Lauren Carpenter, but he knows that it’s going to be hard to avoid her or her family.  

When Ryan becomes the designated driver at a family wedding and has to take Lauren and her friends home, he can’t deny his feelings any longer, and things heat up very nicely.  But this happily-ever-after is complicated by a teenage son, and an ex-husband, and Lauren, who may not want the same things Ryan has been craving in his life.  It’s a right sticky situation.

I liked the storylines in this book.  Dealing with an ex, a teenage son who is acting out some of his problems in not so healthy ways, partners wanting different things out of life, compromising on living arrangements to be with the one you love.  I wasn’t sure until the very end how it was going to end up, and I especially liked the unexpected drama at the end with the ex-husband, and I loved how it became very clear that the ex-husband was interested in not only his son’s happiness, but also Lauren’s happiness.  He could have been a real jerk about that, and he wasn’t.  

I loved seeing both the New Hampshire and Maine branches of the Kowalski’s together in this book, and could have used more them. It’s always a treat when characters from previous books in the series return.

The ladies in town are also a nice treat.  Their support of each other is really an awesome aspect of this series, even if that support comes with all the women in each others business. Rose even offers a bit of drama with an old situation that comes to light.

Shannon Stacey nails what it’s like living in a small town, especially how everyone knows everyone elses business (I speak from experience.) I also find her “coming home” subplots to be very realistic as well.  This is a wonderful series if you are looking for something light, fun, with just the right touch of angst.   

Another solid offering in this series. 4 out of 5 flames.

Thanks to Harlequin and NetGallery for the eArc in exchange for an honest review. 

ARC Review: Beyond Control by Kit Rocha

Synopsis:

Alexa Parrino escaped a life of servitude and survived danger on the streets to become one of the most trusted, influential people in Sector Four, where the O’Kanes rule with a hedonistic but iron fist. Lex has been at the top for years, and there’s almost nothing she wouldn’t do for the gang…and for its leader. Lie, steal, kill—but she bows to no one, not even Dallas O’Kane.

He’ll settle for nothing less.

Dallas fought long and hard to carve a slice of order out of the chaos of the sectors. Dangers both large and small threaten his people, but it’s nothing he can’t handle. His liquor business is flourishing, and new opportunities fuel his ambition. Lex could help him expand his empire, something he wants almost as much as he wants her. And no one says no to the king of Sector Four.

Falling into bed is easy, but their sexual games are anything but casual. Attraction quickly turns to obsession, and their careful dance of heady dominance and sweet submission uncovers a need so deep, so strong, it could crush them both.
  4.5 flames out of 5
Kit Rocha’s buffet of bad boys, as I call them, are back in this second installment of the Beyond series, and the focus is on Dallas O’Kane and Lex, his on-again/ off-again woman. This installment continues both the action and the hedonistic erotica. This book contains lots of debauched, smutty sex,often with multiple partners and combinations, so be forewarned.

Since this book is yet to be released, I’m going to try to do this without spoilers. At the end of the first book, Beyond Shame, trouble was brewing in the sectors, with Dallas eliminating Wilson Trent from a neighboring sector, putting it up for grabs to the person strong enough to take it and keep it. Yeah, there’s going to be trouble there for sure.

Back in Sector four, Dallas is distracted with the mind games Lex plays with him, instead of focusing on the troubles brewing, and she’s egging him on. Dallas has an image to uphold as king, and he doesn’t falter, which makes his vulnerability toward Lex all that more endearing. Some of my favorite moments in the book were his thoughts regarding how he feels about her I didn’t doubt his feelings, and it made him one sexy dude.

Lex is more complicated. She has needs that Dallas cannot fulfill, at least not in her mind. She fights him, keeps things from him, and manipulates him. We learn more about her background and some of the things she hides from him. She’s not perfect, and she is actually as inept at dealing with her feelings for Dallas as he is when dealing with his feelings for her. Only she doesn’t see it.

I really like the world the authors have built here. It’s gritty and dirty and has tons of potential. But really, it’s the characters that make this story interesting. Jasper, Noelle, Ace, Bren, Rachel, Six, and other are back too, although their parts are a bit slim. More characters from the other sectors are introduced in this book, including someone who could potentially hurt both Lex and Dallas. Things get tense for a while. Good thing there’s sex to relieve the tensions, at least temporarily.

When Dallas makes a critical mistake in Lex’s eyes, everything explodes. Dallas doesn’t understand what Lex wants and Lex can’t understand why Dallas doesn’t know why she’s upset. Who hasn’t been there, right? The authors give the reader a good dose of some really terrific angsty moments. I absolutely adored the ending of this book for its emotional quality.

I really like this series. It’s got really nice world building, interesting characters, and fresh storylines and erotica. I still have some issues with muddled point of view in some of the scenes with multiple characters. I find I have to re-read sections to really get a handle on who’s thoughts I’m hearing. I wish that could be a little less pronounced for me.

At times the action sequences regarding the gang takes second place to the erotic scenes, and for me, I would rather a more even treatment of between the action and the erotica. I want to know more about this world.

Overall, I loved Beyond Control, and I’m looking forward to the next installment in the series, Beyond Pain (Fall 2013) , with Bren and Six as the main characters.

Thanks to the authors for providing an ARC in exchange for a honest review.

 

5 Flames for Along Came Trouble by Ruthie Knox

Synopsis

Ruthie Knox’s Camelot series continues in this sizzling eBook original novel, featuring two headstrong souls who bump heads—and bodies—as temptation and lust bring nothing but delicious trouble.

An accomplished lawyer and driven single mother, Ellen Callahan isn’t looking for any help. She’s doing just fine on her own. So Ellen’s more than a little peeved when her brother, an international pop star, hires a security guard to protect her from a prying press that will stop at nothing to dig up dirt on him. But when the tanned and toned Caleb Clark shows up at her door, Ellen might just have to plead the fifth.

Back home after a deployment in Iraq and looking for work as a civilian, Caleb signs on as Ellen’s bodyguard. After combat in the hot desert sun, this job should be a breeze. But guarding the willful beauty is harder than he imagined—and Caleb can’t resist the temptation to mix business with pleasure. With their desires growing more undeniable by the day, Ellen and Caleb give in to an evening of steamy passion. But will they ever be able to share more than just a one-night stand?

---

I debated on the rating for this book. Then I realized it had stayed with me for a few days after reading it, and I wanted to read it again. That made it 5 flames for me. As with How to Misbehave, I finished with a smile. If I could describe it in a word, it would be “sweet.” It’s so easy to relate to these characters because they are average and that’s one of many aspects I love about this Camelot series. In How to Misbehave, we met Amber and Tony, a program director and a building contractor. In Along Came Trouble, our main characters are a single mom and a former soldier starting a new security business. They could be your neighbor or relative or a friend.

Ellen Callahan is a single mom. She’s proud of standing on her own two feet after a disastrous marriage. She lives for taking care of her son and her home, which to her represents her recent successes.

“That spring, the first furled shoots of the hosta poked through the mulch, proving that Ellen was not incompetent, as Richard had so often implied. She and the baby were, in fact, perfectly capable of surviving, even thriving, without anyone’s help.”

Her home and gardens are her visual reminders of what she has survived and her touchstone for the future. She’s learned to take care of herself and is proud of it. Then Caleb Clark arrives in her yard, ready to rearrange her life and her lawn for the sake of security.

Caleb is a fifteen year veteran of the military police, returning home to start a new security business. Even as a civilian, he’s still in the caretaker role, helping his parents with their apartment complex, giving his sister a job and a place to stay, and now taking care of Ellen as part of a work contract. Caleb is totally swoon-worthy, not just for his physique, but for the way he takes care of the people in his life, and he’d totally love to be more than just a bodyguard to Ellen.

When Caleb “whoa” Clark comes along, Ellen’s ready to have rekindle her sex life, but is petrified of losing her independence, and therein lies their conflict. You just know the sparks are going to fly, and they do.

Ruthie Knox uses her secondary characters perfectly to move the story along and give us an insider view of these two main characters. While I found the Carly/Jamie storyline a bit of a stretch, I absolutely loved the relationship between Caleb and his sister Katie. Their teasing is good natured and caring, and I can’t wait to find out more about Katie and her situation.

Along Came Trouble manages to be both modern and yet nostalgic at the same time. It’s sweet, sometimes with sly, witty humor and sometimes outright funny with the type of humor that helps you get through the day. There’s great dialogue and realistic internal monologues. I loved how Ellen describes Caleb’s kisses:

“He could kiss like kissing was the only thing on his agenda, and honestly, if you could kiss like this, why put anything else in the day planner? “

I really liked both main characters, and could totally relate to Ellen and her fear of losing her independence. After her marriage, it’s easy to see why she would be gun-shy with any man, especially someone as dominant as Caleb. One of my favorite scenes occurs toward the end of the book, when their roles are reversed and Ellen ends up taking care of him. Sweet!

I would recommend this series, and I look forward to what is coming up next in this series.

Thank you to Netgalley and Loveswept for the galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

Wait for You Cover Release

What do early readers have to say about WAIT FOR YOU?

“J. Lynn creates a wonderful cast of characters that will make you laugh, swoon, and cry. Cam stole my heart.” – Cora Carmack, NYTimes and USA TODAY Bestselling Author of LOSING IT

“For the love of all that is Cameron without a shirt on! Wait for You will have you laughing out loud, fanning yourself and anxiously waiting to know what will happen next.” – Molly McAdams, NYTimes and USA TODAY Bestselling Author of FROM ASHES and TAKING CHANCES

“I don't think I have ever read a NA Contemporary novel with as much depth as this one. It really moved me and by the end I was just speechless over how inspirational and uplifting it was as well as being sexy and cute and funny and emotional.” - K Books

“Wait For You is uniquely different from anything else J. Lynn's written but it might possibly be her best work yet.” – Jenuine Cupcakes

“For all of you in love with Aiden and Daemon, PREPARE YOURSELVES! Your heart will have to expand a little more for Cam.” Total Bookaholic

“For the love of all things CAM, this book deserves more than 5 stars.” – Mundie Moms

“I cannot even begin to explain how much I adored this perfectly crafted contemporary.” – Shortie Says

Excited? Ready to see the cover for WAIT FOR YOU?

 

Synopsis

Some things are worth waiting for…

Traveling thousands of miles from home to enter college is the only way nineteen-year-old Avery Morgansten can escape what happened at the Halloween party five years ago—an event that forever changed her life. All she needs to do is make it to her classes on time, make sure the bracelet on her left wrist stays in place, not draw any attention to herself, and maybe—please God—make a few friends, because surely that would be a nice change of pace. The one thing she didn’t need and never planned on was capturing the attention of the one guy who could shatter the precarious future she’s building for herself.

Some things are worth experiencing…

Cameron Hamilton is six feet and three inches of swoon-worthy hotness, complete with a pair of striking blue eyes and a remarkable ability to make her want things she believed were irrevocably stolen from her. She knows she needs to stay away from him, but Cam is freaking everywhere, with his charm, his witty banter, and that damn dimple that’s just so… so lickable. Getting involved with him is dangerous, but when ignoring the simmering tension that sparks whenever they are around each other becomes impossible, he brings out a side of her she never knew existed.

Some things should never be kept quiet…

But when Avery starts receiving threatening emails and phone calls forcing her to face a past she wants silenced, she’s has no other choice but to acknowledge that someone is refusing to allow her to let go of that night when everything changed. When the devastating truth comes out, will she resurface this time with one less scar? And can Cam be there to help her or will he be dragged down with her?

And some things are worth fighting for…

WAIT FOR YOU is available now!

Amazon

http://www.amazon.com/Wait-for-You-ebook/dp/B00BLTOXEI/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1361958795&sr=1-1&keywords=wait+for+you

Barnes and Noble

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/wait-for-you-j-lynn/1114701569?ean=2940016231921

 

J. Lynn, also known as Jennifer L. Armentrout, is the USA TODAY Bestselling author of the adult romance Gamble Brothers’ series, the young adult Lux Series and award winning Covenant Series. She pretty much writes everything—contemporary, paranormal, and fantasy. All of her books have one thing in common no matter the name or genre: kissing… and stuff. When she’s not busy writing, which is never, she’s usually hanging out with dog Loki, watching reruns of The Walking Dead, or procrastinating on the Internet.

 You can find out more about Jennifer by visiting the following websites:

Twitter

https://twitter.com/JLArmentrout

Facebook

 http://www.facebook.com/JenniferLArmentrout

Website

  http://www.jenniferarmentrout.com/

 

Review: Beyond Shame by Kit Rocha

Synopsis:

All Noelle Cunningham has ever wanted is a life beyond–beyond the walls of Eden, where only the righteous are allowed to remain, and beyond her stiflingly restrictive existence as a councilman’s daughter. But only ruins lie outside the City, remnants of a society destroyed by solar storms decades earlier.

The sectors surrounding Eden house the corrupt, the criminal–men like Jasper McCray, bootlegger and cage fighter. Jas clawed his way up from nothing to stand at the right hand of Sector Four’s ruthless leader, and he’ll defend the O’Kane gang with his life. But no fight ever prepared him for the exiled City girl who falls at his feet.

Her innocence is undeniable, but so is their intense sexual attraction, and soon they’re crossing every boundary Noelle barely knew she had. But if she wants to belong to Jas, first she’ll have to open herself to the gang, to a dangerous world of sex, lust and violence. A world where passion is power, and freedom is found in submission.

I liked this a whole bunch more than I thought I would after just reading the synopsis. From the description you might the story is a series of setups for tawdry sex, (cage fighting, lol)  but it wasn’t like that at all. I was sucked into the story right away, the plot moved forward at a good pace, and the ending left me satisfied and wanting more. I think that’s pretty good.  I’ll even say I was surprised to find this book stuck with me for a day or two.

When Noelle breaks the law, she’s kicked out of Eden where she’s been trained to avoid touch in all forms, among other restrictions. When she’s dumped out in the sectors, Jasper saves her and she ends up part of Dallas O’Kane’s gang/family.  With Lex, Dallas’s woman, to teach her the ropes, and Jasper to protect her, Noelle takes to her new environment with its new rules like a duck to water.

There’s a nice cast of characters, although a little overwhelming at first, but all with something that interested me. There is a truck load of alpha males between these pages, each one with a hint of vulnerability. It’s a buffet of bad boys. Personally, Jasper was the least interesting of all of them. There’s lots of potential here.

The woman are interesting too, and likable for the most part. In this world, they hold their sexual power over the men, since there are so few available women. They are smart too.

As for the plot, there was just the right blend of well-paced action and “action” for me. The alpha pack gets into some minor skirmishes and there isn’t a vanilla sex scene to be found. The erotic scenes were both steamy and fresh. The world building was believable and delivered in small bits to keep my interest without overwhelming me with lots of details. It was hard enough to remember all the characters.

Because of the number of characters, there were places where I found it difficult to discern who’s point of view I was reading. While it didn’t detract too much from the enjoyment of the story, there were a few parts I needed to reread.  

There was a satisfying and believable wrap up to Jasper and Noelle’s storyline.

Favorite quote: “Real forgiveness is damn hard, and you have to be strong to do it.”

So overall, This was a 4 out of 5 book for me. I’m looking forward to book 2, Beyond Control, expected publication: March 19th 2013.  

Thanks to Kit Rocha and Netgalley for providing a copy in exchange for an honest review.