Tag Archives: adult

Release Day Review: Fate and Forever by Sophie Jackson

Posted in 4 hearts, Reviews by

Fate and Forever by Sophie Jackson

Fate and Forever by Sophie Jackson
Series: A Pound of Flesh #2.5 (full reading order below)
Publication Date: April 18th 2016
Links: Ebook • Audible • Goodreads
Source: I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

Sophie Jackson’s award-winning Pound of Flesh novels reignite “that feeling of sneaking risqué books under the bedcovers with a flashlight” (RT Book Reviews)! Join her millions of online fans with this irresistible enovella that takes the intimate relationship between a gutsy prison tutor and her sexy bad-boy student to the ultimate level.

When tutor Kat Lane met her brooding, dangerously tempting student Wesley Carter behind bars, she never dreamed of the day she would be excitedly planning for their wedding. It won’t be long before they’re man and wife, and neither Kat nor Carter can wait. But as they settle into the joyful haze of nearly-newlywed bliss, all their friends seem to be one step ahead. Everywhere they turn, couples are becoming parents, and the longing in Kat’s eyes worries Carter. What if she gets baby fever…and he’s not so sure? Carter’s childhood was rough, and his father was no example for how to be an upstanding man—or a good parent. Can Carter create a happy, safe, supportive home for his future children with Kat—the life he never had growing up? He had better figure it out soon…because Kat just told him she needs to take a pregnancy test.

I adored Kat and Carter from A Pound of Flesh, so getting a little more of their story was fantastic. Fate and Forever is super short and sweet – if you loved A Pound of Flesh, you’re sure to love this glimpse into Kat and Carter’s future. We get to see their marriage and honeymoon… overall, this novella is just a great way to catch up not only with these two characters, but the others in the series as well.

Carter and Kat are in newlywed bliss… or are they? They’re having the time of their lives on their honeymoon, but one late period for Kat causes all sorts of confusion and misunderstanding. I love the way Sophie Jackson handled this aspect of the story. The little angst and tension between this newly married couple isn’t ideal, but it’s real and honest and emotional. I couldn’t put this novella down!

Sophie Jackson’s writing is just as wonderful as ever, as was reading again about Carter and Kat, Max and Grace, and even Riley, who will star in the third A Pound of Flesh novel. Fate and Forever is definitely a tease for Riley’s book, and it’s made me even more excited for A Measure of Love!

4 hearts
lacey

Reading Order: A Pound of Flesh series

A Pound of Flesh by Sophie Jackson Love and Always by Sophie Jackson
 Fate and Forever by Sophie Jackson A Measure of Love by Sophie Jackson

#1 ~ A Pound of Flesh: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#1.5 ~ Love and Always: My Review • Ebook • Audible • Goodreads
#2 ~ An Ounce of Hope: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#2.5 ~ Fate and Forever: Ebook • Audible • Goodreads
#3 ~ A Measure of Love: Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads (June 21, 2016)

FOLLOW BOOKLOVERS FOR LIFE ON:
✦ FACEBOOK • TWITTER • INSTAGRAM • GOODREADS • PINTEREST • BLOGLOVIN’ ✦

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Audiobook Review: The Air He Breathes by Brittainy C. Cherry

Posted in 4 hearts, Reviews by

The Air He Breathes by Brittainy C. Cherry
Series: Elements #1 (full reading order below)
Audiobook Publication Date: April 5th 2016
Length: 8 hours and 27 minutes
Narrated by: Brian Pallino & Erin Mallon
Links: Audible • Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads
Source: I received an audiobook in exchange for an honest review

I was warned about Tristan Cole.

“Stay away from him,” people said.
“He’s cruel.”
“He’s cold.”
“He’s damaged.”

It’s easy to judge a man because of his past. To look at Tristan and see a monster.

But I couldn’t do that. I had to accept the wreckage that lived inside of him because it also lived inside of me.

We were both empty.
We were both looking for something else. Something more.
We both wanted to put together the shattered pieces of our yesterdays.

Then perhaps we could finally remember how to breathe.

The Air He Breathes had been on my TBR ever since it released, with all the high praise and reviews (and that cover!). It’s actually my first book from Brittainy C. Cherry, and I have to say, I highly enjoyed listening to the audiobook! I’ve listened to both Brian Pallino and Erin Mallon before, and they did another fantastic job narrating Tristan and Elizabeth’s story. This audiobook has it all – heartache, chemistry, drama, romance. You go through a ton of emotions and there’s pretty much never a dull moment with The Air He Breathes. I’d definitely recommend this audiobook for those who want to listen to something engaging and intensely emotional!

Tristan Cole is living in hell. He had the perfect wife and son, until they were both taken from him in a tragic accident. Elizabeth Bailey is also living in despair from losing her husband, but she’s had her daughter to keep her will to survive. These two have experienced something tragic and gut-wrenching that ripped apart their lives, and they never expect to ever find love again – until they become next-door neighbors and slowly help each other heal and let go of the past.

This audiobook is heavy with tension and angst. The healing and letting go is not easy or even pretty for Tristan or Elizabeth, and I loved and hated how difficult it was especially for Tristan. He’s not exactly the most lovable character – he’s a huge jerk in the beginning and even a little at the end – but I definitely felt for him and his brokenness. Elizabeth is perfect for him, strong but vulnerable, independent yet needing love. Her daughter Emma is the sweetest thing, and I really wished there were most scenes of Tristan with Emma, because my heart melted every time they were together.

The Air He Breathes tells the tumultuous tale of losing loved ones but finding the strength to live again – and possibly finding love again. It wasn’t perfect – it gets a little cheesy sometimes, Tristan is a huge jerk, the drama that wrapped up the book was a little over-the-top, but the romance is absolutely wonderful and my heart was fully invested in Elizabeth and Tristan falling in love. I LOVE dual narrator audiobooks, so Brian Pallino and Erin Mallon were perfect for me. The narration is spot on, and made this even more enjoyable to listen to. I’m very much hoping they’ll narrate the next book in the Elements series!

4 hearts
lacey

Reading Order: Elements series

 

#1 ~ The Air He Breathes: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#2 ~ The Fire Between High & Lo: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads

Here’s an audio excerpt from The Air He Breathes!

FOLLOW BOOKLOVERS FOR LIFE ON:
✦ FACEBOOK • TWITTER • INSTAGRAM • GOODREADS • PINTEREST • BLOGLOVIN’ ✦

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Release Day Review: The Player by Kresley Cole

Posted in 5 hearts, Reviews by

The Player by Kresley Cole

The Player by Kresley Cole
Series: The Game Maker #3 (full reading order below)
Publication Date: April 12th 2016
Links: Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads
Source: I received an ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review

#1 New York Times bestselling author Kresley Cole brings readers the third book of the erotic Game Maker Series, a searing tale of a man racked with dark desires and the beautiful young woman who could sate him at last.

A madman with a shadowed past . . .
In Las Vegas, Sin City, Dmitri Sevastyan finds her, Victoria Valentine—sexy, vulnerable, and in need of a protector. Obsession takes root deep inside him. Despite a history tainted with violation and betrayal, he will stop at nothing to possess her.

A grifter with nothing to lose . . .
Descended from a long line of con artists, twenty-four-year-old Victoria, a.k.a. Vice, needs the score of a lifetime to keep her loved ones safe. She sets her sights on gorgeous and rich Dmitri Sevastyan. Even as the irresistible Russian toys with her body and mind, he tempts her heart.

Love is the ultimate wild card.
When Vice and her associates maneuver Dmitri into a hasty Vegas wedding, he refuses to protect himself with a prenup, trusting her with all that he has. But can she trust him? As secrets unfold, the newlyweds share days of doubts and nights of the wickedest pleasures. Yet once Vice discovers her husband’s past, will she stay to fight for her marriage or cut her losses and run?

AHHHH!!!! I absolutely, whole-heartedly LOVED The Player!!! It’s already one of my favorite books that I’ve read so far this year. It’s sexy, it’s addicting, it’s romantic – if you were a fan of the previous Game Maker novel, you NEED to get your hands on this third and final book!

I have to admit, going into this, I wasn’t sure it would live up to The Master, which is one of my all-time favorite books ever. But I’d been dying for Dmitri’s book ever since meeting him in The Master, so I prayed to the book gods that The Player wouldn’t disappoint – instead, Kresley Cole blew. me. away. I honestly can’t choose between Maksim and Dmitri now – these two hot AF, powerful Russian men are my kryptonite. So, just saying, if you loved Maksim in The Master, you’re going to loooove Dmitri, because he’s basically his brother but twice the alpha-ness/possessiveness/obsessiveness. *grins*

“You know what? You’re not going to bench me. Because I’m gonna run game on the juiciest mark of them all—Dmitri Sevastyan.”

Victoria Valentine comes from a family of con artists – but a scam gone wrong has them all in debt and threatened with death if they don’t pay up. The Valentines have stepped up their con game, but it’s not easy to earn millions of dollars in such a short amount of time. So Victoria sets her sights on the gorgeous, intelligent, elusive billionaire Dmitri Sevastyan – but she has no idea what’s in store for her. He fires her up like no other, leaves her breathless and wanting more. But what happens when she actually starts to fall for her mark?

“Imagine a pitch-black room with a single candle lit in the center,” he said, his voice gone low. “The room is the world. You are the candle.”
A shaky breath escaped my lips. “How can you be so sure about me?”
He leveled his spellbinding gaze on my face. “When you’ve been in the dark as long as I have, moy ángel, there is no mistaking the light.”

Dmitri has his eyes on the prize as he sweeps Victoria off her feet in a whirlwind romance and some hot, dirty, kinky sex. He doesn’t just want her body – he wants her mind and soul too, and he’ll do anything to have it all. If you don’t like heroes who are utterly obsessed with their heroines, this book might not be for you. But if you DO like obsessed alpha heroes – Dmitri. is. your. man. He’s completely taken and captivated by Victoria from the moment he sees her, and he will honestly do anything for her. *Sigh* I adore Dmitri. The way he’s so possessive of and head over heels for Victoria melts my heart – and of the three Sevastyan brothers, I honestly think he’s the most obsessive, crazy, AND romantic of them all, and that’s saying something.

He pressed a kiss to my head, and inhaled the scent of my hair. “I believe when a man finds the one woman meant to be his, he associates her scent with happiness. In the deepest recesses of his brain, he thinks, This woman is where all happiness lies. She is my home. Every time he catches her scent, that link is reinforced.” Another kiss. “My happiness lies with you, Victoria. You are my home. It is because I’ve never experienced these feelings that I recognize them.”

If you loved The Master, The Player is a must-read! There’s a twist in this book I did NOT see coming, and I applaud Kresley Cole for taking me by surprise and for making me love the book even more because of it. If you’re worried about Victoria taking advantage of Dmitri, don’t be. I promise, by the end of the novel, you’ll have no complaints about anything having to do with the con. I also loved seeing the couples from the previous books in the series, especially Maksim and Lucía – it’s just so freaking amazing to see these three powerful Russian brothers completely whipped, in love, and happy with their women. KC did an incredible job with Dmitri and Victoria’s story – the romance was addictive, the sex was raw and intense, and the world of conning was intriguing and unlike anything I’d ever read. The Player was perfection – I loved everything about this book!

5 hearts
lacey

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

Reading Order: The Game Maker series

The Professional by Kresley Cole The Master by Kresley Cole The Player by Kresley Cole

#1 ~ The Professional: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • Audible (Part One, Two, Three) • Goodreads
#2 ~ The Master: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#3 ~ The Player: Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads

FOLLOW BOOKLOVERS FOR LIFE ON:
✦ FACEBOOK • TWITTER • INSTAGRAM • GOODREADS • PINTEREST • BLOGLOVIN’ ✦

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Review: The Master by Kresley Cole

Posted in 5 hearts, Reviews by

The Master by Kresley Cole

The Master by Kresley Cole
Series: The Game Maker #2 (full reading order below)
Publication Date: February 17th 2015
Links: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
Source: I received a copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

A need colder than Siberian winter meets an attitude hotter than the Florida sun in #1 New York Times bestselling author Kresley Cole’s sultry new Game Maker novel.

Everyone fears the Master…
Rich, irresistible politician/Mafiya boss Maksimilian Sevastyan prefers tall, obedient blondes to fulfill his…complicated desires. That is, until the icy Russian encounters a disobedient brunette whose exquisite little body threatens his legendary restraint.

Except her.
Catarina Marín was a well-off young wife until her world fell apart. Now she’s hiding out, forced to start working as an escort in Miami. Her very first client is beyond gorgeous, but when he tells her what he plans to do to her, Cat almost walks out of the door.

If pleasure is a game, play to win.
After their mind-blowing encounter burns out of control, the lovers crave more. If they escape the deadly threats surrounding them, can Maksim overcome his past–to offer Cat his future? Only then will she tempt him with what he really wants: her, all tied up with a bow.

I honestly don’t know how or why I haven’t reviewed The Master yet. I read it back when it first released, became obsessed with it, and never ended up writing a review, I guess. But since the third and final Game Maker book is coming out (today!!!), I thought it’d be a good time to finally post my review!

The Master was one of my top favorite books of 2015 – I loved it THAT much, y’all. To be honest, I never expected to love it so much, because I was less than impressed with the first book in the Game Maker series. So to say The Master took me by surprise is an understatement – but I’m so glad I took a chance on it even though I didn’t love the first one. This book simply AMAZED me. The hero is alpha perfection, the heroine is sassy and badass, and their romance swept me away… I loved every single thing about The Master!!!

Catarina Marín is on the run from her murderous husband. She never stays in any place for too long, but with no money to her name, she joins an escort agency in Miami. Her first client is a gorgeous, sensual, wealthy Russian politician named Maksimilian Sevastyan – who turns out to be an arrogant ass. She’s not his type, he’s too egotistical for his own good, and they couldn’t be more different or unmatched… but the insane chemistry between them is off the charts and the connection between them in undeniable. Soon enough, Cat gets her first paycheck from her first client, and she’s ready to leave with her thousands – but Maksim isn’t ready to let her go.

“I’m surprised you aren’t acting ingratiating.” He was still talking to me, engaging me?
I turned back to him.
Mocking sneer in place, he said, “You’re supposed to tell me how I moved heaven and earth for you. You’re supposed to fawn over me, increasing your chances that I’ll book you again.”
I gave him an aren’t you adorable? smile and purred, “Oh, baby boy, don’t you know statistics? Chances can’t be improved from one hundred percent.”

The Master might be one of the few books where I’m completely in love with the hero – and I love the heroine even more. Maksim is SUCH an arrogant SOB, but I love him anyway. The way he wields control, especially over Cat’s body, is the hottest thing EVER, and there is some seriously dirty stuff going on in this book. He’s a jealous, possessive alpha-male to the max, and his character pushed all the right buttons for me. He was the perfect sort of over-the-top hero that I love. Cat, though, is definitely the star of this book. She’s such a relatable girl – she’s fun and fiesty, yet totally down-to-earth and resilient. She’s the perfect match for Maksim, even if it didn’t seem so at first glance. She never lets him walk all over her, and ends up making him as obsessed with her as she is with him.

Grabbing my ankles, he yanked me across the bed. “Spread your legs.” When I did, he stared at my pussy. “This is mine now.” He met my gaze, telling me, “I own it. Just as I own you. I’m your master now, Katya.”

Somehow, everything that didn’t work in The Professional totally WORKED in The Master. I was addicted to the possessive hero, the heroine blew me away with her strength, and the romance was to die for. Who wouldn’t want to be romanced by a gorgeous billionaire who’s completely gone for you!? The Master is erotica perfection – I’ve reread this book maybe 20 times, and I love it just as much every time. It’s one of the few books that I automatically go to reread, that’s how much I adore this book. If you love romances with an alpha hero who would die for the heroine and tons of kinky sex, I can’t recommend The Master enough – go read this if you haven’t already!!!

5 hearts
lacey

Reading Order: The Game Maker series

The Professional by Kresley Cole The Master by Kresley Cole The Player by Kresley Cole

#1 ~ The Professional: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • Audible (Part One, Two, Three) • Goodreads
#2 ~ The Master: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#3 ~ The Player: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads

FOLLOW BOOKLOVERS FOR LIFE ON:
✦ FACEBOOK • TWITTER • INSTAGRAM • GOODREADS • PINTEREST • BLOGLOVIN’ ✦

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Review: The Professional by Kresley Cole

Posted in 3 hearts, Reviews by

The Professional by Kresley Cole

The Professional by Kresley Cole
Series: The Game Maker #1 (full reading order below)
Publication Date: May 6th 2014
Links: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads

Meet the Professional.
Mafiya enforcer Aleksandr “The Siberian” Sevastyan’s loyalty to his boss is unwavering, until he meets the boss’s long-lost daughter, a curvy, tantalizing redhead who haunts his mind and heats his blood like no other. Ordered to protect her, Aleksandr will do anything to possess her as well–on his own wicked terms.

He makes the rules.
Grad student Natalie Porter has barely recovered from her first encounter with the dark and breathtaking Siberian when he whisks her away to Russia, thrusting her into a world of extreme wealth and wanton pleasures. Every day under his protection she falls deeper under his masterful spell.

In the game of obsession, two players are better than one.
Yet all is not as it seems. To remove Natalie from an enemy’s reach, Aleksandr spirits her into hiding. From an opulent palace in Russia to the decadent playgrounds of the mega-rich in Paris, the two lovers tempt each other’s boundaries to discover whether their darkest–and most forbidden–fantasies really can come true….

I freaking LOVE Russian mafia books (and the HOT Russian men in them), but I was a bit disappointed with Kresley Cole’s The Professional. This is actually the first book I’ve read by KC, and I’d been so, so, so excited to read it, but it fell a bit short of my expectations. I was expecting to be swept away by the mafia story and a sexy, alpha-male Russian hero, but I wasn’t. I can see why people loved this book, but for me, The Professional was an okay read – it just missed the mark for what I was expecting to get in this book.

Natalie Porter thinks she’s just a regular grad student when she meets the gorgeous and mysterious Aleksandr Sevastyan, until he takes her away from all that she’s known and thrusts her into the dark world of the Russian mafia. Turns out she’s the long-lost daughter of a powerful boss, who has assigned his enforcer the task of bringing her home by any means necessary.

Dangerous, deadly, and powerful, Sevastyan is the loyal and dedicated enforcer of the Russian mafia. But of all the things to knock him off his feet, Natalie is the only person to make him crazed with lust and out of control. The intense and instant attraction between them is unexpected, but this alpha knows what he wants and he’ll do anything to have her.

“If you became mine, I wouldn’t let you go.” His words were clipped, as if he was biting back frenzy. “Understand me, if I’m your first lover—I will be your last.” The ringing tone of finality chilled me. “And I would kill any man who thought to touch what was mine.”

In between the fiery chemistry and hot sex in The Professional, we’re swept away to the mafia world in Russia. There’s action and suspense, and pretty much never a dull moment for Sevastyan and Natalie. So I’m pretty bummed out that I couldn’t love this book more. The premise of it had me in love, but as I kept reading, I just couldn’t really get into the story or the characters, mainly because of the ridiculous amount of kinky sex. This book pretty much made me realize that I’m not the biggest fan of BDSM, so sadly, the sex – while hot – just wasn’t my type of thing. Plus, it felt like Sevastyan used sex to manipulate Natalie, so that was a big no for me.

In all honesty though, I did enjoy the book for the most part. We have an obsessed alpha-male who’ll do anything for his woman, and the chemistry between them was well-written and off the charts. I liked the romance, minus all the crazy sex, and the mafia world was interesting. I just didn’t connect that well with the characters – but if you’re a fan of over-the-top heroes and BDSM, this book might be for you!

“Concerns beyond you no longer matter. You’re at the center of my life”—he frowned—“no, you are my life.”

3 hearts
lacey

Reading Order: The Game Maker series

The Professional by Kresley Cole The Master by Kresley Cole The Player by Kresley Cole

#1 ~ The Professional: Ebook • Paperback • Audible (Part One, Two, Three) • Goodreads
#2 ~ The Master: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#3 ~ The Player: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads

FOLLOW BOOKLOVERS FOR LIFE ON:
✦ FACEBOOK • TWITTER • INSTAGRAM • GOODREADS • PINTEREST • BLOGLOVIN’ ✦

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.