Early Review: Ruled by Elle Kennedy

Posted in 4 hearts, Reviews by Lacey

Ruled by Elle Kennedy
Series: Outlaws #3 (full reading order below)
Publication Date: November 1st 2016
Links: Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads
Source: I received an ARC from the author/publisher in exchange for an honest review

In the latest novel in the series with the “sexiest, baddest, hottest”* outlaws around, one woman must choose between the two men who want to claim her…

…Or does she?

Despite his magnetic personality, Rylan can’t seem to seduce Reese, the deadly leader of their town of outlaws. Winning her over is a welcome challenge, but her indifference isn’t the only thing standing in his way. If he wants Reese, Rylan must also win over Sloan, her stoic protector…

Sloan has always loved Reese, but their painful past has stolen his chances of a future with her. Rylan’s interest in Reese only intensifies the tension—until Sloan begins to wonder if the reckless man might be the one person who can bridge the distance…

The last time Reese fell for the wrong man, she had no choice but to kill him. Now, she desperately wants to take what both Rylan and Sloan are offering. But if she makes the wrong call again, she risks losing them both.

To say I’d been dying to read Ruled ever since finishing the previous Outlaws book would be an understatement. You have no idea how READY I was for Reese, Sloan, and Rylan’s story because hello, THREESOME!!! And SLOAN!!! And now, all I can say is that Sloan is one of my favorite heroes from Elle Kennedy, and Ruled might be the hottest book she’s written yet. If you thought you were ready for the steam thanks to Claimed and Addicted, think again, because Ruled will seriously blow your mind with the chemistry between this threesome.

Reese is the queen of her outlaw community. She is fierce, independent, badass – she will do anything and everything to protect her people. But there’s only one person she allows to protect her and stand by her side: Sloan, her quiet, stoic right hand man. These two are tied to the knot, and there is essentially no Reese without Sloan, and vice versa. But what Reese doesn’t know is that Sloan has been in love with her since forever. Will Sloan ever be able to win his queen? Or will he need the help of a new man to get her to open up to him – to them?

The only thing he didn’t like about the man was this creeping feeling he had that he was losing Reese to him. But was he really losing her? Or was Rylan the key to winning her?

Rylan – the irreverent, perpetually horny Rylan – has also wanted Reese since the moment he met her, but he’s gotten nothing but rejections from her. But when the stress piles up on the outlaw queen, Rylan offers his body as a way to relieve it. But there’s only one catch from Reese – that Sloan has to be there to watch them. So what starts off as an insanely hot exhibition act turns into so much more when the chemistry between Sloan and Reese, Reese and Rylan, and even Rylan and Sloan ignites. This is a threesome with no shortage of lust and raw desire – but can Sloan and Rylan ever get Reese to be vulnerable enough to admit to loving them?

“There is nothing we won’t give you,” Sloan said softly. “Nothing you could want that we can’t deliver.”

The steam in Ruled went above and beyond my expectations. Elle Kennedy knows how to write erotica, and I’m seriously hoping this won’t be the end of the Outlaws series. I’ll admit, I really wasn’t that into the plotline regarding the evil dystopian government – all I cared about were the main characters. It just wasn’t as engaging as the love story, and some details about it were too rushed. So if you’re like me, and just want the sexy hot threesome to set your panties on fire, trust me, you won’t be disappointed with Ruled!

Quotes are taken from the arc and are subject to change in the final version.

Reading Order: Outlaws series

#1 ~ Claimed: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#2 ~ Addicted: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#3 ~ Ruled: Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads (Nov. 1, 2016)

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25Oct2016

Audiobook Review: Collide by Riley Hart

Posted in 4 hearts, Reviews by Lacey

Collide by Riley Hart
Series: Blackcreek #1 (full reading order below)
Audiobook Publication Date: September 27th 2016
Length: 7 hours and 44 minutes
Narrated by: Luke Itzvic
Links: Audible • Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads
Source: I received an audiobook in exchange for an honest review

At ten years old, Noah Jameson and Cooper Bradshaw collided mid-air when they dove for the same football. For three years, they were inseparable…until one day when Noah and his parents disappeared in the middle of the night.

Noah and Cooper never knew what happened to each other. Now, seventeen years later, after finding his boyfriend in bed with another man, Noah returns to Blackcreek looking for a fresh start. And damned if he doesn’t find his old friend grew up to be sexy as sin. Coop can’t believe Noah—the only person he trusted with the guilt over his parents’ death—is back. And gay… Or that Cooper himself suddenly wants another man in his bed for the first time.

There’s no denying the attraction and emotion between them, but can they overcome the ghosts of their pasts to have a future together?

Collide is the first M/M audiobook romance I’ve listened to, and I totally adored it! I love friends-to-lovers romances too, so Noah and Cooper’s story was pretty much the perfect listen for me. It was surprisingly sweet, with heaps of sexy to balance it out. If you’re a fan of M/M romances, I’d definitely recommend giving this one a listen!

Cooper and Noah were childhood best friends, until Noah and his family disappeared from town. Now, seventeen years later, they’re reunited, but Cooper is in for a shock when he finds out that his childhood best friend is actually… gay. It throws Cooper off, but it doesn’t stop him from offering Noah a place to stay at his house. But when Cooper sees Noah getting intimate with another man, he struggles with the jealousy that arises in him. Cooper knows he’s straight… right? So why doesn’t he like the idea of Noah with another man?

What starts off as a tentative sexual exploration for Cooper turns into so much more. For Noah though, he’s always been in love with him best friend, and he’s happy to take whatever Cooper can give. But what happens when Cooper still wants to keep his sexuality – and their relationship – in the closet? Will it be enough for Noah anymore?

Collide was a great mix of angsty, sexy, sweet, and heartwarming. I loved Noah and totally felt for him. Cooper was frustrating at times but he won me out by the end. The story is told in alternating third person, and Luke Itzvic was the perfect narrator for Noah and Cooper. I was hoping he would be able to distinguish between the two male characters’ voices, and he did just that, so I have no complaints. I’m so excited to listen to the rest of the Blackcreek audiobooks!

COLLIDE is now available on Audible: http://amzn.to/2eeHkeO

Reading Order: Blackcreek series

#1 ~ Collide: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#2 ~ Stay: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#3 ~ Pretend: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#3.5 ~ Return to Blackwater Creek: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads

Here’s an audio excerpt from Collide!

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25Oct2016

Blog Tour + Review & Giveaway: Beard Science by Penny Reid

Posted in 4.5 hearts, Blog Tours, Giveaways, Reviews by Lacey

Welcome to today’s stop on the blog tour for Beard Science by Penny Reid!

Beard Science by Penny Reid
Series: Winston Brothers #3 (full reading order below)
Release Date: October 11th 2016

Make a deal with the devil and you might get what you want, but will it be what you need?

Jennifer Sylvester wants one thing, and that one thing is NOT to be Tennessee’s reigning Banana Cake Queen. Ever the perpetual good girl and obedient daughter, Jennifer is buckling under the weight of her social media celebrity, her mother’s ambitions, and her father’s puritanical mandates. Jennifer is officially desperate.

And desperate times call for Cletus Winston.

Cletus Winston is a puzzle wrapped in a mystery covered in conundrum sauce, and now he’s in a pickle. Despite being convinced of his own omniscience, extortion by the exalted Banana Cake Queen of Green Valley has taken him completely by surprise. So… what’s a maniacal mastermind to do?

Likely, the last thing you expect.

Buy Links:
Amazon • iTunes • Barnes & Noble • Kobo

I had such high expectations for Beard Science ever since first meeting Cletus and being utterly intrigued by him. He was unlike any other character I’d ever come across, and now that I’ve read his story, I can still say he’s one of the most unique characters I’ve ever had the pleasure of reading. Seeing him fall in love was something I never knew I wanted, but Penny Reid gave me this wonderful experience that I totally adored. If you’re a fan of Penny Reid or wonderfully quirky characters you can’t help but love, I highly recommend this book!

I felt hushed. I felt smothered. I felt suppressed and . . . ignored. Not just by my parents and their expectations, but also by me. I’d been ignoring myself. I’d been ignoring my own wishes and hopes.
So indeed, I decided to feel motivated, determined, ready, and . . . excited.
I was excited, ready to find my spirit.

Jennifer Sylvester is known as the Banana Cake Queen… and she hates her title. She’s always followed her parents’ rules and has never truly done anything for herself, but she’s ready for a change. And the perfect opportunity comes in the form of Cletus Winston – she blackmails the king of blackmail to get him to find a suitable man for her to settle down and start a family with.

“You’ll know one day, Cletus. You’ll discover what it’s like to find the other part of yourself. You’ll know it’s her, only her, always her. Maybe not right away, but eventually you’ll know. She’ll be your beginning, middle, and end. And your intentions won’t matter. Love brings its own intentions, and all other plans, hopes, and dreams fade to insignificance in the face of love.”

Cletus, my love! Cletus is totally up there with Jethro as one of my favorite Winston brothers. He’s just so unexpected and unique – there’s no one quite like Cletus. He made me laugh, smile, swoon… Penny Reid definitely didn’t disappoint with his character. And his heroine, Jennifer, was perfect for him! The two of them don’t have the best first impressions of each other, but after spending time thanks to Jenn’s blackmail causes them to develop feelings they’ve never felt before. It’s a bit of a slow burn romance with neither of them recognizing what they’re feeling for each other, but once they do… it’s the most romantic thing ever.

“You want to know what you are to me? Fine. You’re my beginning, middle, and end.”

I loved Jenn and Cletus individually. Jenn’s transformation from pushover to a woman who goes for what she wants was so impressive and admirable. Cletus is, well, Cletus. His falling in love humanized him a bit more, so to speak, and I love him even more for doing so. Theirs is a relationship that is supportive, respectful, sweet, and sexy as hell. Just saying, Cletus is a man who knows what he wants, and he GOES FOR IT.

She was so beautiful, my Jennifer. And not because of her eyes, or face, or any other outward attributes. The person she was held me transfixed. How could I have disregarded her? How could I have looked at her with anything but wonder and respect and desire?

Beard Science is another wonderful installment to the Winston Brothers series. I loved getting to know Jenn, Cletus, and the rest of the brothers even more. I felt so many emotions as I read this book – I was so hooked, I couldn’t put it down. Now I’m seriously dying for the remaining brothers’ stories, especially Billy and Claire’s. I have a feeling that one will be an agonizing one.

Quotes are taken from the arc and are subject to change in the final version.

Reading Order: Winston Brothers series

#1 ~ Truth or Beard: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#2 ~ Grin and Beard It: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#3 ~ Beard Science: Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads
#4 ~ Beard in Mind: Goodreads (2017)
#5 ~ Dr. Strange Beard: Goodreads (2017)
#6 ~ Beard Necessities: Goodreads (2017)

SEX! It all started with sex, between my parents. Personally I don’t like thinking about it, but whatever works for you is a-ok with me. No judgment. The sex happened in California and much of my life also occurred in that state until I moved from the land of nuts (almonds), wine, silicon… boobs, and heavy traffic to the southeast US. Like most writers I like to write, but let’s get back to sex. Eventually I married and gave birth to 2 small people-children (boy-6, girl-4 as of this writing).

By day I’m a biomedical researcher with focus on rare diseases. By night I’m a knitter, sewer, lino block carver, fabric printer, soap maker, and general crafter. By the wee hours of the morning or when I’m intoxicated I love to listen to the voices in my head and let them tell me stories. I hope you enjoy their stories.

Blog • Twitter • Facebook • Goodreads

Prize Pack from Penny Reid

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13Oct2016

Release Day Review: Tonic by Staci Hart

Posted in 3 hearts, Reviews by Lacey

Tonic by Staci Hart
Series: Standalone
Publication Date: October 13th 2016
Links: Ebook • Goodreads
Source: I received an ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review

Joel Anderson doesn’t take anything seriously.

Not his relationships, which have been few and far between since his brutal divorce. Not the drama of working in a tattoo parlor, which seems to be around every corner. When things get him down, he smiles and cracks a joke. But he’s not the kind of man you cross, or you’ll find yourself at the wrong end of his fists.

Annika Belousov takes everything seriously.

Like her job as a reality television producer, given that she typically has something to prove. Or her love life, which is defined by a series of requirements — affluent, ambitious, accomplished, to name a few. Definitely her family, who worked their whole lives to afford her every opportunity, a sacrifice she doesn’t take lightly. When she’s tapped to produce a reality show at Joel’s shop, she doesn’t think twice, just goes in for the kill, as if there were any other way.

The second Annika walks into Joel’s shop, he makes it his mission to crack her open, but she’s not having it. He’s all wrong — too crass, too hairy, too un-serious. But it doesn’t take her long to find out there’s more to him than smirks and tattoos. And what she finds could put her career and his heart on the line.

Not that Joel cares. Because for the first time in a long time, he’s found his tonic.

I was excited for Tonic mainly because of Joel – he was so intriguing in Wasted Words, I couldn’t wait to get my hands on his story. It wasn’t quite what I expected though – I didn’t love Tonic or hate it. It was very meh for me, to be honest, and I just wasn’t feeling the romance or story at all. The romance was too superficial and not fleshed out enough for me, and the story dragged too much. That being said, it’s not a bad book. I’d say if you’ve been a long-time fan of the author and her writing, then you’ll probably enjoy Tonic.

Joel and his brother are tattoo shop c0-owners, and they’ve just signed on with a TV producer to film a reality show based off their tattoo shop, Tonic. Joel is reluctant to have anything to do with being part of a reality show, so he’s not going to make it easy for the producers to film. But when he meets Annika Belousov, he might not like her job, but he’s definitely intrigued by her as a woman. He can’t stop thinking about her, taunting her… trying to get her into his bed.

Annika is the total opposite of Joel – while he’s laid-back and relaxed, she’s uptight and serious about everything she does. She has an incredible work ethic, though they don’t call her an ice queen for nothing. But what happens when Joel starts to melt the walls around her heart? Can she choose between the man she’s falling for or the career she’s worked so hard to achieve?

While I enjoyed Tonic on a surface level, there were things that prevented me from connecting with the book on a deeper level. Some parts felt too forced and a little awkward – the author tried to fit in too many references to pop culture that it got old fast. I really only cared about Joel and Annika, but these two took too long to sort their problems out and used sex as an avoidance tactic too often. Joel annoyed me in the second half of the novel – he doesn’t seem to know when to take responsibility and likes to blame other people for mistakes that he’s a part of. His character also didn’t feel like a 38-year-old man – he seemed a lot younger and immature, which was not a good thing.

Tonic wasn’t a bad book, but’s it’s definitely one of my least favorites from Staci Hart. I’m hoping that I’ll be able to connect with her future novels more – I still have hope that she’ll write another book as good, or even better than, Chaser!

Tonic is a standalone spinoff of Wasted Words. Joel first appears here in this book!

Wasted Words: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads

Tonic and Wasted Words are a standalone spinoffs of the Bad Habits series, a series of standalones with characters featured in the spinoffs!

Reading Order: Bad Habits series

#1 ~ With a Twist: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#2 ~ Chaser: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#3 ~ Last Call: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads

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10Oct2016

Audiobook Review: The Score by Elle Kennedy

Posted in 5 hearts, Reviews by Lacey

The Score by Elle Kennedy
Series: Off-Campus #3 (full reading order below)
Audiobook Publication Date: September 27th 2016
Length: 11 hours and 41 minutes
Narrated by: Savannah Peachwood & Andrew Eiden
Links: Audible • Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads
Source: I received an audiobook in exchange for an honest review

He knows how to score, on and off the ice

Allie Hayes is in crisis mode. With graduation looming, she still doesn’t have the first clue about what she’s going to do after college. To make matters worse, she’s nursing a broken heart thanks to the end of her longtime relationship. Wild rebound sex is definitely not the solution to her problems, but gorgeous hockey star Dean Di Laurentis is impossible to resist. Just once, though, because even if her future is uncertain, it sure as heck won’t include the king of one-night stands.

It’ll take more than flashy moves to win her over

Dean always gets what he wants. Girls, grades, girls, recognition, girls…he’s a ladies man, all right, and he’s yet to meet a woman who’s immune to his charms. Until Allie. For one night, the feisty blonde rocked his entire world—and now she wants to be friends? Nope. It’s not over until he says it’s over. Dean is in full-on pursuit, but when life-rocking changes strike, he starts to wonder if maybe it’s time to stop focusing on scoring…and shoot for love.

Y’all, the audiobook of The Score is SUCH an improvement from the last two Off-Campus audiobooks. I’m so glad that they decided to go with a male and female author instead of one female author who sounded nothing like two college-aged students. So if you weren’t a fan of The Deal and The Mistake in audio, I can promise you will enjoy listening to The Score SO much more. Good narrators make all the difference in the audiobooks I listen too, and it made a huge difference in The Score. I loved listening to it this time around, and I’m hoping that the next book will also have dual narrators!

Allie Hayes has broken up with her boyfriend Sean for the last time, and she’s in need of someone to keep her from taking Sean back. Enter Dean Di-Laurentis, resident manwhore and hockey player. Dean lives by his own rules, doing what he wants, when he wants, and for the moment, what he wants is Allie. But one night of drinks leads to sizzling-hot passion and Dean can’t quite seem to get Allie off his mind or stop wanting her… And soon enough, when Dean falls, he falls hard, and my heart swooned like crazy over the love he gradually grows to have for Allie.

If you haven’t already read The Score, it’s amazing as an audiobook – or you could be like me, and have read AND listened to it! It’s another great installment to the Off-Campus series – it’s got the usual laugh-out-loud humor (I literally laughed out loud while listening to this), fantastic sexy-times, amazing bromances, even some Twilight references, and a romance that warm your heart and leave you smiling and wanting more. Dean and Allie are perfect together, and what’s even better, their narrators are spectacular as well. The male narrator, Andrew Eiden, was PERFECT as Dean, and though it took me a little while to warm up to Savannah Peachwood, Allie’s narrator, since she spoke really slowly in the beginning, I enjoyed her narration by the end of the audiobook. So if you’re thinking of getting an audiobook in the Off-Campus series, I highly recommend The Score – it’s got the best narration of the series.

THE SCORE is now available on Audible: http://amzn.to/2e2IfN3

Reading Order: Off-Campus series

#1 ~ The Deal: Book Review • Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#2 ~ The Mistake: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#3 ~ The Score: Book Review • Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#4 ~ The Goal: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads

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