Review: Crow by A. Zavarelli

Posted in 4 hearts, Reviews by Lacey

Crow by A. Zavarelli
Series: Boston Underworld #1 (full reading order below)
Publication Date: February 10th 2016
Links: Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads
Source: I received a copy from the author in exchange for an honest review

An Irish mobster. A missing friend. Two loyalties, ripping me apart.

I had a plan.

Get in, get my information, and get out. Easy, right?

Turns out, infiltrating the Irish mafia isn’t exactly what I thought it would be. I just wanted a soldier. Someone I could flirt with to get me in the door.

That’s when Lachlan Crow noticed me. Problem was, he wasn’t a soldier. No, he was next in line for the throne of the Irish underworld. And he was determined to hate me from the outset. My sob story about needing a job? Yeah, he wasn’t buying that either.

Too bad for him, I won’t let anyone get in the way of my mission.

Who cares if we have some kind of crazy chemistry? He’s the worst kind of wrong- and I would never in a million years be with a guy like him.

Because they took her from me, and I’m going to make them pay.

I love mafia books!! I should really read more of them. It’d been a good while since the last time I read one, so when I was offered the chance to read Crow, I jumped at the chance. And I’m so glad I did – Crow is a sexy, thrilling, fun mafia romance with a strong heroine and a fantastic alpha hero. It’s not as dark as I’m used to with mafia books, so if you’re looking for a light but still intense mafia read, I highly recommend this one!

“I thought I told you I don’t play by the rules,” I argue.
“Ye’re mistaken,” he says. “Ye just walked into my world unbidden. So you will play by the rules, butterfly. You’ll be playing by all my rules.”

Mackenzie Wilder wants to know what happened to cause the disappearance of her best friend, Talia, and since the police aren’t helping her, she’s taking matters into her own hands. As the daughter of one of the most successful MMA fighters, and a fighter herself, Mack just might have what it takes to go undercover into the Irish and Russian mafia syndicates – but what happens when she starts to fall for an up-and-coming leader of one? Will she still be able to go through with her mission?

Lachlan Crow is next in line to become the leader of the Irish mafia, and he’s not about to let anyone threaten his chance to become king. He’s dangerous, seductive, and doesn’t trust easily. So even though there’s an instant and intense attraction between him and Mack, he’s not about to just let her into the underworld where he reigns. But soon enough, Mack breaks down the walls around his heart, and he wants to protect her and claim her for himself. He’s definitely an alpha hero, and he even has an Irish accent to boot. I’m not entirely sure how accurate all the Irish-related things in the book are, but nothing seemed too over the top, and I kind of adored the accent once I got used to reading it! Especially when Lachlan says some sweet things to Mack with that accent.

“I know ye’ve had to be tough all your life, sweetheart,” he says. “But ye don’t have to do that with me. I’ll protect ye, and on occasion boast because ye’re mine. That’s just the way it goes.”

We don’t get into too much detail about the Irish mafia, sadly. I would’ve loved more chapters in Lachlan’s POV so that aspect of the book could be fleshed out a little more, and I totally wouldn’t have minded reading more about his feelings for Mack. Crow is told mainly in Mack’s POV, so I was a little bummed out that the dual POV wasn’t as even as I expected, but since I really enjoyed Mack’s narrative, I didn’t mind too much. All in all, I really couldn’t put this book down. It’s full of action and chemistry, and the romance was sweet as it was sexy. The ending was adorably sweet and satisfying. I’m super excited for the next book now because of the couple starring in it!

Reading Order: Boston Underworld series

#1 ~ Crow: Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads
#2 ~ Reaper: My Review • Ebook • Goodreads

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12Apr2016

Release Day Review: The Player by Kresley Cole

Posted in 5 hearts, Reviews by Lacey

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!

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

Reading Order: The Game Maker series

#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

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7Apr2016

ARC Review: Thrown Down by Tessa Bailey

Posted in 4 hearts, Reviews by Lacey

Thrown Down by Tessa Bailey
Series: Made in Jersey #2 (full reading order below)
Publication Date: April 4th 2016
Links: Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads
Source: I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

He has one last chance to deserve the girl of his dreams…

Overachiever River Purcell was never supposed to be a struggling single mom, working double shifts just to make ends meet. Nor was she supposed to be abandoned by her high school sweetheart, breaking her heart into a thousand jagged pieces. Now Vaughn De Matteo is back in town, his sights set on her…and River is in danger of drowning a second time.

No one believed Hook’s resident bad boy was good enough for River. Not even Vaughn himself. But he’ll fight like hell to win back the woman he never stopped loving, to keep the daughter he never expected, and convince himself he’s worth their love in the process––even if he has to rely on their fierce and undeniable sexual chemistry.

But even as River’s body arches under his hungered touch, the demons of the past lurk in the shadows. Waiting for Vaughn to repeat his mistakes one last time…

I’ve said it a million times already, but Tessa Bailey truly never disappoints. She’s one of my favorite authors, so to say I was excited for Thrown Down is an understatement. A second chance romance, written by her? Pure heaven for me. This book is the second in the Made in Jersey series, but can be read completely as a standalone. I adored River and Vaughn and their heartwarming second chance at love. These two, plus their sweet daughter, were perfect together! If you love second chance romances with lots of sweetness and tons of dirty talk *grins*, Thrown Down is a must read!

“I don’t need a hero. I’m my own her now… and I’m trying to be one for Marcy.”

River Purcell has been working her butt off the past few years as a single mom to provide for her and her daughter. She’s tough and hard-working, a heroine I admired. The love of her life, her high school sweetheart, and Marcy’s father, left River without knowing that he got her pregnant. Vaughn dropped off the face of the earth after that, so River had no clue how to get in contact with him. Now, four years later, Vaughn is back – and ready to be the man and father River and Marcy deserve.

Maybe he’d never earn back that pure, perfect trust. But even a sliver of that former belief she’d had in him? Fuck, it would make life worth living. To have that trust from his child, too, would be the stuff of dreams. Dreams he’d never been aware of having. Until now. And after so much time devoid of feeling, that hope was addictive.

Vaughn tore his heart out when he broke things off with River for her own good. He never really believed he was good enough for her – he was the bad boy to her good girl back in high school – but now, he’s desperate to make things right. I was a bit worried about how I’d feel about Vaughn leaving River without looking back, but getting to know him in Thrown Down puts him in a much better perspective. Plus, the fact that he was faithful and loyal to the love of his life every day they were separated certainly helped make me fall in love with him. He’s a tortured, angsty character with a filthy mouth – another Tessa Bailey possessive alpha-male winner!

“So I’m telling you now, I’m not leaving. Give me a chance to meet her, then watch me show up every day afterward, even if you turn me away. I’ll show up and take my beating like a man, day in and day out. But you better get used to me, doll. I’m not budging.”

This book is the perfect balance between raw, angsty emotion and heartwarming goodness. I loved that River made Vaughn work hard to win back her love, and I adored the way he was with his daughter. I really wish there were more scenes with Vaughn and Marcy together – and that it was a longer book overall! I really wasn’t ready to let go of River, Vaughn, and Marcy.

If you love Tessa Bailey, you’ll no doubt enjoy Thrown Down. It has what you’d expect from this wonderful author – fantastic characters to root for, an emotional romance that tugs at your heart, and plenty of dirty talk from our filthy, obsessed hero. Right now, I’m dying for the next book in the Made in Jersey series – I don’t really care who it’s about (I hope it’s Duke) but since it’s Tessa, it’s up high on my wishlist!

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

Reading Order: Made in Jersey series

#1 ~ Crashed Out: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads
#1.5 ~ Rough Rhythm: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads
#2 ~ Thrown Down: Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads
#3 ~ Worked Up: Goodreads (Aug. 2016)

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6Apr2016

ARC Review: Remembering Everly by J.L. Berg

Posted in 2.5 hearts, Reviews by Lacey

Remembering Everly by J.L. Berg
Series: Lost & Found #2 (full reading order below)
Publication Date: April 5th 2016
Links: Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads
Source: I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

After two years in a coma, August Kinkaid has forgotten the darkness in his past. But his past hasn’t forgotten him. His beautiful former fiancée, Everly, remembers every tumultuous moment of their stormy relationship. The sizzling passion. The web of lies. And the terrible secret Everly’s been hiding since her last fateful night with August.

Now the truth is out and August remembers everything. As his long-buried memories come flooding back, he begins to understand why Everly would want to move on with her life. Why she would give her heart to another man. And why August should try to forget her once and for all.

But he can’t give up on the only woman he’s ever loved. Even if he has to reopen old wounds–and face the darkest demons of his past–August will do whatever it takes for a second chance with Everly. He let her slip away once. He’s not about to spend the rest of his life remembering Everly when he could be holding her in his arms forever . . .

After finishing Forgetting August and getting to that awful hangover, I couldn’t wait to get my hands on Remembering Everly. August and Everly’s story was so mysterious and intriguing, I had to know more! But I’m pretty disappointed that Remembering Everly didn’t meet up to my expectations. The pacing was way too slow and nothing really happens for the majority of the book. I grew too frustrated with August and even Everly at times… so overall, this book just wasn’t a good reading experience, and I’m pretty bummed out because it had such potential to be an amazing follow-up.

Secrets.
They had the ability to destroy lives, obliterate relationships and sabotage even the strongest partnerships. Big or small… it didn’t matter. Even the tiniest white lie had the power to corrode—to shatter and dismantle everything you loved.

This sequel picks up right where the first left off, with August having remembered the night he fell into a coma and telling Everly he knew her secret. Everly is still engaged to Ryan, and August is still trying to recover his memories. Unfortunately, this goes on for at least half of the book, with no progress being made between Everly and August, and nothing being done in terms of Trent and his money-stealing scheme. I grew tired of this around 30%, so it was incredibly annoying that this stalemate kept going on for such a long time in the book.

August comes off as pretty pathetic. He literally doesn’t DO anything for 70% of the book, and that was just too long for me. August keeps pushing Everly away for her own good, to protect her from Trent, but what I hated about this was that he never actually tells her WHY until he’s got no other choice but to tell her. It was just so pointless and frustrating – I really didn’t see a reason why August had to keep everything a secret.

If you hate the OW/OM sort of conflict, this book and series definitely won’t be for you. Everly is with Ryan, but thankfully realizes that he’s never going to be the one for her when her heart belongs to another. August begins somewhat of a relationship with another woman he meets, which annoyed me to no end. The main characters being with other people put a damper on the love between them, and made me not really believe in it much anymore, sadly.

The only thing that redeemed the book and made me not fully hate it was the writing. I really enjoyed J.L. Berg’s writing for this series – it matched the tone of the story and made everything a little suspenseful and nail-biting. Sadly, there isn’t actually much action in Remembering Everly, so it was sort of anticlimactic for the story to be written this way. I really wished I could have liked this book more, but there were just too many problems with it for me to enjoy it the way I wanted to.

2.5 hearts – 2 hearts for the story and characters and an extra .5 for the wonderful writing.

Love was precious. We knew this more than most, having lost each other more than once over the years. But it remembered.
Love always remembered.

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

Reading Order: Lost & Found series

#1 ~ Forgetting August: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads
#2 ~ Remembering Everly: Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads

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5Apr2016

ARC Review: Paper Princess by Erin Watt

Posted in 4.5 hearts, Reviews by Lacey

Paper Princess by Erin Watt
Series: The Royals #1 (full reading order below)
Publication Date: April 4th 2016
Links: Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads
Source: I received an ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review

From strip clubs and truck stops to southern coast mansions and prep schools, one girl tries to stay true to herself.

These Royals will ruin you…

Ella Harper is a survivor—a pragmatic optimist. She’s spent her whole life moving from town to town with her flighty mother, struggling to make ends meet and believing that someday she’ll climb out of the gutter. After her mother’s death, Ella is truly alone.

Until Callum Royal appears, plucking Ella out of poverty and tossing her into his posh mansion among his five sons who all hate her. Each Royal boy is more magnetic than the last, but none as captivating as Reed Royal, the boy who is determined to send her back to the slums she came from.

Reed doesn’t want her. He says she doesn’t belong with the Royals.

He might be right.

Wealth. Excess. Deception. It’s like nothing Ella has ever experienced, and if she’s going to survive her time in the Royal palace, she’ll need to learn to issue her own Royal decrees.

“You may have lost your family, but you’re not alone anymore, Ella. You’re a Royal now.”

OH. MY. GOD!!! I’ve found my newest obsession and it is the Royal family!

WOW. This book kind of stunned me, in the best way possible. I’d been dying to read Paper Princess when I found out who the two authors were behind the Erin Watt pseudonym (Elle Kennedy and Jen Frederick) and since I LOVE EK and JF’s books are also great, I had pretty high expectations. I admit was a little wary about this being labeled YA, but after reading it, I definitely consider it more NA than YA, even though the characters are still in high school. It’s not crazy sexy, though there is a ton of sexual tension, which is just as good – so if you’re worried about this being a tame read, rest assured, it isn’t!

After the death of her mother, Ella Harper finds herself in not the most ideal circumstances, but she’s a survivor, and she’ll do whatever it takes to keep on going to the next day. But when the best friend of her father, who she’s never met, comes and plucks her off the streets and into his home, her life is forever changed. Because Callum Royal and his Royal sons are practically from another planet – they’re rich, entitled, spoiled, and nothing like her. The Royal boys are hell-bent on making life miserable for Ella, but she’s no meek, shy girl. She stands on her own two feet, never backing down, and always surviving, knowing that every day that passes gets her closer to turning eighteen and getting away from this new life.

This will never be my home. I don’t belong in splendor, I belong in squalor. That’s what I know. It’s what I’m comfortable with, because squalor doesn’t lie to you. It’s not wrapped in a pretty package. It is what it is.
This house is an illusion. It’s polished and pretty, but the dream Callum is trying to sell is as flimsy as paper. Nothing stays shiny forever in this world.

Reed, the second oldest Royal son, is leader of their group now that Gideon, the eldest, has left the nest for college. Reed doesn’t make it easy for Ella to get accepted in their house, their school, their lives… despite the insane amount of chemistry going on between them. Theirs is the perfect enemies-to-lovers romance, and I was glued to the pages thanks to the fantastically written tension and banter. I LOVED Ella – she’s a tough heroine with a big heart and a spine of steel, and I admired her so hard. Reed is sexy as hell… though at this point I’m not quite sure I love him just yet. He has so much potential to become even better, and I can’t wait to fall head over heels in love with him in the next Royals books.

I loved the Royals boys as a whole, though. Reed, Gideon, Easton, Sebastian, and Sawyer. I’m intrigued by every single one of these boys – each of them is so different and unique from the other. Their characters came to life in this book, and I’m dying to find out more about them.

Paper Princess was the addictive kind of book that I couldn’t. put. down. I finished this at 2AM – I loved it!! It messed with my head in the best of ways, and it’s a perfect enemies-to-lovers read. Fair warning though, the ending will make you want to SCREAM. Thankfully the sequels are only a few months apart, so it won’t be too awful of a wait for Broken Prince and Twisted Palace!

“You belong with us. You’re the best thing that ever happened to this family.”

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

Reading Order: The Royals series

#1 ~ Paper Princess: Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads
#2 ~ Broken Prince: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads
#3 ~ Twisted Palace: Paperback • Goodreads (Oct. 17, 2016)

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