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Early Review: Loud is How I Love You by Mercy Brown

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Loud is How I Love You by Mercy Brown

Loud is How I Love You by Mercy Brown
Series: Hub City #1 (full reading order below)
Publication Date: January 19th 2016
Links: Ebook • Goodreads
Source: I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

One girl’s heart gets rocked to the core in the first novel in this sexy New Adult series.

Twenty-one-year-old front girl Emmylou knows that getting her band noticed in the ‘90s indie rock scene will be no easy task. She definitely knows better than to break the number one rule of the band: Don’t sleep with your bandmates! But after she ends up having the best sex of her life with her guitarist, Travis, she finds following that rule is a lot harder than it sounds.

When the band gets the gig of their dreams, making it big seems just within reach. But Emmy’s inability to keep her hands off Travis threatens everything they’ve worked for. Can Emmy find a way to break the rules and not blow the chance of a lifetime?

Loud is how I love you,
Loud is how I know you’re there.
Loud so I don’t lose you,
Because I’d know the sound of you anywhere.

This book was on my radar because of some heavy praise from one of my all-time favorite authors, so of course I had to give it a try! Add in the ‘90’s indie rock scene and I was totally sold. Loud is How I Love You is a fantastic new adult romance – it wasn’t anything like I expected, but I enjoyed every bit of its quirkiness. It’s heartwarming, fun, hilarious, and a really sweet read. If you’re looking for something memorable and different from your typical NA read, you need to read this book!

Emmy’s dream is to get her band, Stars on the Floor (aka Soft), noticed, and she and her bandmates have worked their butts off to get to where they are. But it’s all threatened when Emmy ends up having the best sex of her life… with her guitarist Travis. Because the number one rule of being in a band? Don’t sleep with your bandmate. If you do, you’ll only create drama that will screw things up and eventually break up the band.

But ever since that one crazy hot night with Travis, Emmy can’t stop thinking about or wanting him. Not only is Travis a bandmate, he’s also her best friend. They have an amazing connection that they’ve built over the years and a chemistry that’s off the charts, but is their relationship worth the risk of losing their dreams of making it in the music industry? Or will them being together be the downfall of Soft?

“What is this thing we’re doing?” I whisper. I’m not sure I mean to say it out loud, because I am pretty nervous to put an actual label to it. “I don’t even know what to call it.”
He touches his lips to mine again, all soft and sweet.
“Just call it awesome,” he says. “We’ll figure the rest out as we go.”

There is a TON of back and forth from Emmy. She wants Travis bad, but she also wants her band to succeed, and to her, she can’t have both. As much as she frustrated and annoyed me, I can’t say that I ever hated Emmy. It was admirable how much her music career meant to her and how she wasn’t willing to give it up for anything or anyone. It’s just that Travis is so lovable that I wanted to shake her for not trying to work things out with him sooner. Travis is some serious swoon-worthy material – he’s sweet, funny, sexy as hell, and incredibly patient with Emmy. I loved him for how he never gives up on her, even when she drove him (and me) crazy.

Stay loud so I don’t lose you.
I will follow the sound of you anywhere. -T

My favorite part of Loud is definitely Mercy Brown’s writing. She has a brilliant, fresh voice that is so unique and enjoyable to read – I loved it! And you can tell the author knows a lot about the music industry. I will absolutely be reading more of her upcoming books. I’m very impressed that Loud is her first published book, actually.

Loud is How I Love You is a satisfying, well-written NA book you don’t want to miss. The characters felt real and were so much fun to read about. I can’t wait to read the next Hub City book!

4 hearts
lacey

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

Reading Order: Hub City series

Loud is How I Love You by Mercy Brown Stay Until We Break by Mercy Brown

#1 ~ Loud is How I Love You: Ebook • Goodreads (Jan. 19, 2016)
#2 ~ Stay Until We Break: Ebook • Goodreads (June 21, 2016)

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Early Review: Outside the Lines by Lisa Desrochers

Posted in 3.5 hearts, Reviews by

Outside the Lines by Lisa Desrochers

Outside the Lines by Lisa Desrochers
Series: On the Run #1 (full reading order below)
Publication Date: January 19th 2016
Links: Ebook • Goodreads
Source: I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

As the oldest son of a Chicago crime lord, Robert Delgado always knew how dangerous life could be. With his mother dead and his father in prison, he’s taking charge of his family’s safety—putting himself and his siblings in witness protection to hide out in a backwater Florida town.

Fourth grade teacher Adri Wilson is worried about the new boy in her class. Sherm is quiet and evasive, especially when he’s around his even cagier older brother. Adri can’t help her attraction to Rob, or the urge to help them both in whatever way she can.

But the Delgados have enemies on two sides of the mob—their father’s former crew and the rival family he helped take down. It’s only a matter of time before someone finds them. And if Rob isn’t careful, Adri could end up in the crossfire…

I was a huge fan of Lisa Desrochers’ A Little Too Far series, so when I heard she was writing a new series, I couldn’t wait to read it! Outside the Lines is the first book in the On the Run series, and even though I didn’t fully love it, it’s an entertaining read with lots of potential for the series to get better. After the slow beginning, I found myself liking the book much better once the story picked up and I became invested in Rob and Adri’s romance. If you like your romances sweet but slow, with a little mafia thrown in, then Outside the Lines is for you.

Rob Delgado and his four younger siblings are on the run. With their father, a Chicago crime lord, locked up in prison, and enemies out to get them, Rob had to get his family away from Chicago. Under the Witness Protection program, they’ve moved to Port St. Mary, Florida and are now known as the Davidsons. It’s a small town for them to lie low in, at least until Rob can get back to Chicago and destroy his enemies. What he doesn’t expect is to fall for his youngest brother’s fourth grade teacher, Adri, who is sweet, pure, innocent… and has no idea who he really is.

“You are so fucking beautiful in every way, and all I can do is ruin you,” he finally says, his voice a raw wound. “I will ruin you, Adri, and then I’ll leave. You deserve so much better than that.”

Adri Wilson is concerned about her new student and grows to care for him… and his older brother. She finds herself captivated by the enigma that is Rob Davidson. But when things don’t add up about their family, Adri is determined to find out what the Davidsons are hiding. Along the way, she finds herself falling for Rob, even when he pushes her away. There’s a bit of back and forth between them, but the chemistry between them is hot, so even though it took a while for their relationship to move forward, I was invested in their romance.

“I don’t deserve your love, but I’m going to do everything in my power to earn it every single day for the rest of my life.”

I liked this book. It’s well-written, the characters were interesting and likable… but the beginning dragged. It took a while to become fully immersed in the story, so that took a little away from my enjoyment. But by the halfway mark I was more than invested in the story and the heart-warming romance. This book is a promising start to the On the Run series, and I’m definitely looking forward to the rest of the Delgado siblings’ stories.

3.5 hearts
lacey

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

Reading Order: On the Run series

Outside the Lines by Lisa Desrochers Over the Line by Lisa Desrochers

#1 ~ Outside the Lines: Ebook • Goodreads
#2 ~ Over the Line: My Review • Ebook • Goodreads

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Early Review: What You Need by Lorelei James

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What You Need by Lorelei James

What You Need by Lorelei James
Series: Need You #1 (full reading order below)
Publication Date: January 5th 2016
Links: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
Source: I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

The Lund name is synonymous with wealth and power in Minneapolis–St. Paul. But the four Lund siblings will each discover true love takes a course of its own. . . .

As the CFO of Lund Industries, Brady Lund is the poster child for responsibility. But eighty-hour work weeks leave him little time for a life. His brothers stage an intervention and drag him to a seedy nightclub . . . where he sees her: the buttoned-up blonde from the office who’s starred in his fantasies for months.

Lennox Greene is a woman with a rebellious past, which she conceals beneath her conservative clothes. She knows flirting with her boss during working hours is a bad idea. So when Brady shows up at her favorite dive bar and catches her cutting loose, she throws caution aside and dares him to do the same.

After sparks fly, Brady finds that keeping his hands off Lennox during office hours is harder than expected. Though she makes him feel alive for the first time in years, a part of him wonders if she’s just using him to get ahead. And Lennox must figure out whether Brady wants her for the accomplished woman she is—or the bad girl she was.

This is actually the first book I’ve read by Lorelei James, and it was so much fun to read. It’s a sweet contemporary romance with unique characters and little drama. I really enjoyed Brady and Lennox’s characters – Brady isn’t the typical millionaire hero, as he’s a little shy and awkward and has no social life, and Lennox is a woman with a wild past she’s trying to hide at her respectable job. Their romance is light and sweet, with just the right amount of intensity and sensuality to make for an incredibly satisfying read.

As CFO of Lund Industries, Brady Lund lives and breathes his job. He has zero social life, which his family has noticed and taken upon themselves to fix. They drag him out to a club, where it just so happens that the gorgeous blonde from the office that he’s had crush on for months is there too. So Brady finally decides to live a life other than his job, and he wants to start with Lennox.

Lennox Greene is shedding her wild-child past, and her job at Lund Industries is the beginning of her new life. But even though she can hide her tattoos under her clothes and take out her piercings, she can’t hide who she really is from Brady. With Brady, she can be her true self and deal with the baggage of her past. Falling for the millionaire CFO isn’t difficult, especially when the only time she comes alive is around him.

Brady curled his hand around the side of my face, his gaze firmly on the left side of my mouth. Then his thumb slid over to stroke my bottom lip. “This lip ring . . . Christ, do you have any idea how much I want to suck on it?”
The sexy way he growled that sent slow, delicious heat unfurling in my belly.
“Before the end of the day, Lennox, I’ll know what that metal feels like on my tongue.”

The steam in What You Need wasn’t crazy hot like I expected, but there was still a good amount to leave me satisfied. I adored how Brady is sexy-as-hell, and yet still a little awkward around Lennox. He’s definitely not a smooth playboy, which was something I appreciated. I’m a big fan of romances with rich heroes, but it’s a nice change to read about one who doesn’t have a revolving door of women.

If you love office romances, you’ll want to check this book out. Lennox and Brady are utterly sweet together, and I enjoyed the way their romance played out. This book is also so funny – mainly because of Brady’s family, and I’m hoping all of them will get books of their own! What You Need is a great start to a new series with the potential to become even better. I’m excited to read more from Lorelei James!

“I want more of you.”
“You have all of me.” I’d never said that to another man in my life and the fact I’d said it without conscious thought scared me a little.

4 hearts
lacey

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

Reading Order: Need You series

What You Need by Lorelei James Just What I Needed by Lorelei James

#1 ~ What You Need: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#2 ~ Just What I Needed: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads

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Release Day Review: Mastered by Maya Banks

Posted in 3.5 hearts, Reviews by

Mastered by Maya Banks

Mastered by Maya Banks
Series: The Enforcers #1 (full reading order below)
Publication Date: December 29th 2015
Links: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
Source: I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

What he wants, he takes with no remorse or guilt.

She stood out in his club like a gem, unspoiled and untouched. A lamb among wolves, she clearly didn’t belong. Drawn to her innocence he watched as she was surrounded by men who saw what he did—but no one but him could touch her. He summoned her to his private quarters. He sensed her fear. He also recognized the desire in her eyes. And he knew she wouldn’t leave before he possessed her. She had no need to know his secrets. Not until he had her under his complete and utter control.

What he wants, she isn’t sure she can give him.

The moment he told her want he wanted, she couldn’t resist. Instinct told her to run, but her heart said stay and walk the fine line between pleasure and pain. Though she wasn’t sure she could ever completely surrender, the primal part of her wanted to try, even knowing this man could break her in ways she never imagined. Because once he possessed her, he owned her and it would be too late to turn back. She can only pray that he doesn’t destroy her in the end.

Mastered is the first book in Maya Banks’ The Enforcers series, and it tells the story of innocent and naive Evangeline being thrust into an erotic world that is completely out of her comfort zone. Drake Donovan is the lion to her lamb, and while Mastered should have been a cliché, I actually enjoyed it for the most part. It’s an exciting start to a new series that has a great potential to become even better.

Evangeline lost her virginity to a guy who only viewed her as a challenge, so her friends want her to get back at him by going to an exclusive club and showing him what he’s missing out on. Evangeline is shy and doesn’t have much confidence in herself, and even though she’s not a virgin anymore, she’s innocent in a lot of ways. But when she walks into Impulse, she has no idea that her entire life is going to change and that she’s going to be claimed by a rich, powerful man.

Drake Donovan is alpha to the max – he needs control in all things, and the one thing he can’t control is his need for Evangeline. Her innocence draws him, even when he knows he doesn’t deserve her, but he’s going to claim and dominate her anyway because what he wants, he gets.

What I liked most about Mastered was how Drake opens up Evangeline’s eyes toward herself and helps her develop her self-confidence and sexuality. Evangeline’s insecurity annoyed me in the beginning of the book, because she keeps repeating over and over how she never belongs anywhere, but with Drake’s help, the way she views herself starts to change and she becomes more endearing than anything to me by the end of the book. What was also sweet was the friendships that grew between Evangeline and Drake’s best friends. I adored the way all these hardened, alpha males became so smitten with her!

Mastered is book 1 of 2 in Drake and Evangeline’s story. I can’t wait to get my hands on the second book, because I did not expect that cliffhanger ending in Mastered! If you’re a fan of steamy, kinky books with a dominating alpha billionaire and a heroine who is his complete opposite, then I’d recommend this book.

3.5 hearts
lacey

Reading Order: The Enforcers series

Mastered by Maya Banks Dominated by Maya Banks Kept by Maya Banks

#1 ~ Mastered: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#2 ~ Dominated: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads (May 3, 2016)
#3 ~ Kept: Paperback • Goodreads (Nov. 1, 2016)

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Release Day Review: Coming Apart at the Seams by Jenna Sutton

Posted in 3 hearts, Reviews by

Coming Apart at the Seams by Jenna Sutton

Coming Apart at the Seams by Jenna Sutton
Series: Riley O’Brien & Co. #2 (full reading order below)
Publication Date: December 1st 2015
Links: Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads
Source: I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

From the author of All the Right Places, a sweet and sexy romance about finding the right words and the perfect fit…

Love can take some time to break in…

Teagan O’Brien, heiress to the Riley O’Brien & Co. denim empire, is anything but a spoiled rich girl. She’s worked hard to secure her place in the family business and can hold her own, in and out of the office. Only one man has ever been able to get under her skin—sexy football star Nick Priest. Years ago they crossed the line from friends to lovers, but he left her heartbroken. Since then, she’s been determined to keep him at arm’s length—no matter how tempting he looks in his jeans…

Nick has fortune, fame, and looks that make most women hot and bothered. But he doesn’t have the woman he really wants. He knows he screwed up when he walked away from Teagan, and now that he has a second chance, he’ll do whatever it takes to win her over—no matter how tongue-tied he gets…

I am always up for reading a second chance romance, since it’s one of my favorite tropes, but lately, the second chance romances I’ve read have been let-downs. While I liked Coming Apart at the Seams well enough, overall, it was an okay read. I got bored a few times and the story dragged a bit, but it was still a good read. It’s sexy, a little angsty, and I really enjoyed reading about a hero who’s determined to take his second chance with the heroine and make up for all the hurts he caused her in the past.

Blunder. Gaffe. Misstep. Error. Snafu. Although plenty of words described the huge, life-altering mistake Nick Priest had made, none of them quite conveyed his stupidity. He’d had a chance with Teagan O’Brien, but he’d blown it. That was his biggest regret, and he had a lot of them.

I really liked the way the author presents Teagan and Nick’s relationship over the years to the reader. First, we’re set in the present, with Nick regretting hurting Teagan and not fighting for her in the past… but he sure as hell is fighting for her now. He knows he messed up years ago, but he’s determined to win back the only woman he’s ever loved. Then, gradually, Nick and Teagan’s past relationship is revealed, and I really adored the way these two grew to be such good friends, even best friends. They felt a connection with one another, and even though they were attracted to each other, they didn’t want to risk their friendship over it. But one night of temptation and passion changes everything, and in the end, leaves both of them hurt – and alone.

I love you. I loved you then, and I love you now. Please give me another chance. I’m miserable without you, and I’m afraid of what the rest of my life will be like if you’re not with me.

Nick has a severe stutter, which has affected his relationship with his father, and inadvertently, his relationship with Teagan. He felt like he wouldn’t be good enough for her, since he wasn’t good enough for his father, so sadly, he made mistakes, but now in the present, he’s going to fight for the woman he loves, even if it seems she hates him. Both Nick and Teagan are flawed people, and while I understood Nick’s reasons for hurting Teagan in the past and Teagan’s reasons for not letting Nick near her heart again, I grew a little frustrated with them. Miscommunication played a big part in their broken relationship, which is something I usually get annoyed reading about. Although, I was very impressed with the way Teagan stood firm in not forgiving Nick, at least not right away. She definitely makes him work for it, for her and her love, and I admired that she’s so stubborn about it.

Overall, Coming Apart at the Seams is a sweet second chance romance, with a little friends-to-lovers mixed in. If the pacing of the book had moved a little faster, I probably would have enjoyed it more, but for those of you who like your romances slow-paced, I would recommend this. This book also sets up the romance in the next book a bit, and I’m intrigued enough by the couple that I’m looking forward to read it!

3 hearts
lacey

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

Reading Order: Riley O’Brien & Co. series

 Coming Apart at the Seams by Jenna Sutton 

#1 ~ All the Right Places: Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads
#2 ~ Coming Apart at the Seams: Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads
#3 ~ Hanging by a Thread: Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads (June 7, 2016)

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