Tag Archives: contemporary

Release Day Review: Target on Our Backs by J.M. Darhower

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Target on Our Backs by J.M. Darhower

Target on Our Backs by J.M. Darhower
Series: Monster in His Eyes #3 (full reading order below)
Publication Date: February 23rd 2016
Links: Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads
Source: I received an ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review

The best way to keep your word is never to give it.

Not long ago, in a chapel in Vegas, I swore to love Karissa for the rest of my days. But nobody’s promised an infinite number of tomorrows. Nobody’s promised forever. Sometimes, all we have left is today.

Carpe Diem.
Seize the day.

It should’ve been over, we should’ve been happy, but people are making it hard for me to live in peace. I’ve got so much blood on my hands they’ll never be clean, and somebody out there seems to want me to pay for it. Happily Ever After always comes at a cost, one any real man would be willing to pay. But that doesn’t mean I’m just going to roll over and accept these consequences.

Because when it comes to the woman I love? The life I’ve fought for?

Nobody is safe.

“Not sure how many times I have to tell you… I’m not a good man, Karissa, and try as I might, I probably never will be.”

J.M. Darhower writes romance and mafia stories like no other. The Monster in His Eyes series is my favorite series of hers – Naz and Karissa’s story is just so addicting, thrilling, sexy, and heart-pounding! Theirs is a story that I just can’t get enough of, so when I heard that they’d be getting a third and final book, I jumped for joy! Honestly, I thought the second book, Torture to Her Soul, ended perfectly, but J.M. Darhower proved me wrong. THIS ending in Target on Our Backs is the perfect one for Naz and Karissa. I’m so sad to have to say goodbye to them, but I couldn’t have hoped for a better heart-stopping conclusion that the one we get in this book. If you loved the first two books, you NEED to get your hands on Target on Our Backs!

He wants to be a better man to ease my guilt for loving someone like him.
A leopard doesn’t change its spots.
… You can dress a wolf up in sheep’s clothing, but the son of a bitch will still eat you alive if you let it.

After killing one of the mafia leaders of New York to protect the love of his life and now wife, Naz has a target on his back (heh). Someone’s gunning to take him out, and Karissa just might be a casualty in this new war. But just because Naz has left the mafia life doesn’t mean he’s forgotten how to protect those he loves – and he’ll do anything and everything to ensure Karissa is protected.

I’ve missed Naz and his dark, twisted mind. I don’t know how the author does it, but the way she writes Naz’s POV only makes me love him and his darkness more and more. He’s not a good man… but he’s not exactly an entirely bad one either. Karissa is the light in his life, and the love he has for her makes my heart swoon. And now that they’re husband and wife? My heart couldn’t be happier.

This man owns me. He consumes me. Every part of me was made for every part of him. It’s the kind of love I can’t imagine ever living without. It’s raw, and real, and it’s ours.
It’s ours.
It goes on forever.

It’s been a while since I’ve read a good mafia book, so this continuation of Naz and Karissa’s story came at just the right time. Target on Our Backs is told in alternating POV, and both Naz and Karissa’s POVs were absolutely amazing. The author’s writing is brilliant, as always, and reading this book reminded me of just how much I love her stories. I’m desperately hoping we don’t have to wait too long for her next book, because I’m already in need of another J.M. Darhower fix!

5 hearts
lacey

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

Reading Order: Monster in His Eyes series

Monster in His Eyes by J.M. Darhower Torture to Her Soul by J.M. Darhower Target on Our Backs by J.M. Darhower

#1 ~ Monster in His Eyes: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#2 ~ Torture to Her Soul: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads
#3 ~ Target on Our Backs: Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads

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Audiobook Review: Getting Rough by C.L. Parker

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Getting Rough by C.L. Parker
Series: Monkey Business Trio #2 (full reading order below)
Audiobook Publication Date: January 26th 2016
Length: 8 hours and 22 minutes
Narrated by: Brian Pallino & Muffy Newton
Links: Audible • Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads
Source: I received an audiobook in exchange for an honest review

Hotshot San Diego sports agent Shaw Matthews and his sexy professional adversary Cassidy Whalen have gone head-to-head in the boardroom—and the bedroom. Now Shaw has scored a big promotion—but only because Cassidy turned it down and ran off. There are many things he wants when it comes to Cassidy—just not her pity. So Shaw rushes to a small town in Maine to retrieve his dignity—and maybe the woman he’s hungry to claim once more.

Cassidy has pushed herself to the max to realize her career dreams—until a family crisis brings her home. But Shaw isn’t letting Cassidy go that easily. Neither is gorgeous heartthrob Casey Michaels, the childhood sweetheart she left behind—and who now wants to win her back. As the rivalry between the two alpha males intensifies, and Shaw’s seductive moves reach a whole new level of heat, Cassidy has to make a choice. And this time, it’s for the highest stakes of all.

Going into Getting Rough, I didn’t realize it was the second book of a series, but I listened to this audiobook perfectly fine on its own. Cassidy Whalen and Shaw Matthews are sports agents, and also enemies turned lovers. I’m a huge fan of enemies-to-lovers romances, because I absolutely love the part when the characters realize their feelings of hate have turned into love. This second book in the Monkey Business Trio is exactly that, with Cassidy and Shaw recognizing the feelings they’ve developed for each other and trying to make something more out of their relationship. The narrators Brian Pallino and Muffy Newton did a wonderful job at voicing their characters, so this audiobook was all-around so fun and sexy to listen to.

Getting Rough picks up with Shaw running after Cassidy all the way to Maine when she gives up a coveted job position to take care of her family. But when the two of them are staying in Maine for the time being, the charm and quaintness of Cassidy’s hometown starts to get to them and their relationship becomes a lot less volatile than it used to be. Everything is more meaningful between and Shaw has most especially realized how much he wants Cassidy for so much more than just her body. The chemistry is still hotter than ever, and Shaw becomes even more alpha when Cassidy’s ex-boyfriend is introduced and wants her back. Even though there’s a bit of a love-triangle (and even a love-rectangle) going on, this didn’t detract from Shaw and Cassidy’s romance at all, and I was rooting for these two from beginning to end.

I love dual-narrator audiobooks, so listening to Getting Rough was perfect for me. Brian Pallino had a smooth, deep voice that I loved, and Muffy Newton was fantastic at narrating Cassidy’s indecisions about what to do with Shaw and her ex. The narration can make or break an audiobook for me, but I have to say that Brian and Muffy’s narrations are the highlight of this audiobook. I’d definitely listen to other audiobooks that they narrate!

If you love enemies-to-lovers romances, or stories with characters with explosive chemistry who draw a thin line between love and hate, I highly recommend Getting Rough. This book is sexy as hell, and listening to the audiobook only made the steamy scenes hotter. I can’t wait for more from the series!

4 hearts
lacey

Reading Order: Monkey Business Trio series

  

#1 ~ Playing Dirty: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#2 ~ Getting Rough: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#3 ~ Coming Clean: Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads (Sept. 20, 2016)

Here’s an audio excerpt from Getting Rough!

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Early Review: Last Call by Staci Hart

Posted in 3.5 hearts, Reviews by

Last Call by Staci Hart

Last Call by Staci Hart
Series: Bad Habits #3 (full reading order below)
Publication Date: February 15th 2016
Links: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
Source: I received an ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review

Once Rose Fisher makes a decision, that’s it. End of story.

Like when her ex, Patrick, dumped her out of the blue, then showed up with a super hot, tatted up sex kitten on his arm. Then it was over for good. The end. Poof. Dead to her. Except he was everywhere — down the hall, at the bar with their friends, worming his way into her dreams.

But with their friends paired off, they’re left alone more and more. Rose is determined to keep him friendzoned — doesn’t matter that he stares at her with a smolder that drops all panties in a ten foot radius. She’s over him, and she’ll prove it by getting back into the dating game, Patrick be damned.

Patrick Evans is no stranger to consequences. When your mother walks out, your dad drifts away. When you leave home, you’re on your own. And when you run away from the girl you love, you lose her. He finally has an opportunity to rebuild the bridge he burned, and it’s not one he’ll take for granted. But he’ll have to fight for her, even if it hurts. Even if it means he’ll walk away brokenhearted. Because deep down, he knows that she’s it for him.

The trick will be to get her to admit she feels it too.

Rose and Patrick’s story has been a highly anticipated read of mine ever since they first appeared in With a Twist. Second chance romances are one of my top favorite tropes to read, so Last Call seemed like it would be PERFECT for me. While I enjoyed this book, I can’t say that I loved it like the previous two books in the series. Maybe I had too high expectations, maybe I hyped myself too much about Rose and Tricky, but Last Call didn’t go the way I expected it to. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, but throughout the book, I kept having the feeling of wanting and expecting more. Still, I adored the ending of this book, seeing how everyone ended up, and the second chance romance was more sweet than anything.

Sometimes, you have the whole world in your hands, and you don’t realize it until it’s shattered, left crumbled and sparkling in your palms. That you don’t know you’ve lived your best days, not until they’re gone. Not until you look back. That day – the day I walked away – was one of my greatest mistakes, and I’ve made more than my share. It’s the only one I counted as a regret.

The main thing I was expecting in Last Call was ANGST. Angst is why I love second chance romances. But sadly, for my angst-loving heart, there was very little of it in this book. You’ll probably love Last Call much more if you’re not a fan of angst, but I was just really hoping for some of that pain in my heart while reading about Rose and Tricky’s fallout and how Tricky tried – and still continues to try – to win Rose back (usually with his sexy-as-hell smolder). The flashbacks of their first relationship aren’t that detailed, focusing the story more on their present relationship… which is pretty non-existent. At the very most, Rose and Tricky are cautious friends – she’s determined never to hand over her heart and trust to him again after he broke them, and he’s giving her space so she doesn’t completely kick him out of her life. And yet these two are still as head-over-heels in love with each other as they were seven months ago. Can they ever move past their hurts and mistakes and actually work on having a relationship again?

“Being with her was like …” I looked away at nothing in particular. “It was like seeing in color for the first time after a lifetime of black and white.”

When Rose finds out Patrick has been secretly sleeping over in her roommate Lily’s room, now that Lily has been sleeping over with her boyfriend West (who is also Patrick’s roommate), Rose gets pissed. Mainly because she’ll be in close proximity to his gorgeous self and her body is weak when it comes to him. But her mind is made up and won’t fall for Tricky again, no matter how much he looks at her with want and longing.

For the majority of the book, there’s not much going on between these two besides lust-filled looks and the occasional glare. Oh, and Rose is trying to date (and hilariously failing). She and Tricky have called a truce for the time being while they’re roommates, but really, nothing develops in their relationship. I could feel their regrets, their heartbreak, how much they still love each other, how much they want to try again, but they don’t DO anything about it until the second half of the book. Then they try building a relationship again, but the thing that caused them to break up the first time gets in the way of their second try: the fact that they don’t communicate.

“I just can’t fuck it up this time.”
“No, you can’t. I suspect if there is a chance for you here, it’s the last one. Last call.”
“Last call,” I echoed, knowing it was the truth. I had to step up and order or walk out. And I wasn’t ready to leave.

It sucks to say that while I did like most of the book, especially all the sweet, tender parts between Tricky and Rose, the parts I didn’t like were the slow ones that bored me. I wanted a little more angst, a little more drama, and definitely some more communication so that the pace would pick up. Still, I was honestly rooting for these two the whole time because really, Rose and Patrick are perfect together and for each other. Tricky is sexy as all get out with his gorgeous tattooed bod, and Rose is a badass bartender who takes her life day by day. I loved their characters but I really wish the pace of their romance moved quicker.

I adored the ending in Last Call – it was the perfect way to end the series. Even though I didn’t love this book, I was still left with a bittersweet feeling at the end because I loved this series as a whole. I loved getting to know Rose and Tricky, Maggie and Cooper, and Lily and West. This group of six almost feels like old friends to me, so it’s sad to say goodbye to them. I’m excited to see what else Staci Hart will be writing, because I’m definitely looking forward to it!

3.5 hearts
lacey

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

Reading Order: Bad Habits series

With a Twist by Staci Hart Chaser by Staci Hart Last Call by Staci Hart

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

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Early Review: Taking the Score by Kate Meader

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Taking the Score by Kate Meader

Taking the Score by Kate Meader
Series: Tall, Dark, and Texan #2 (full reading order below)
Publication Date: February 15th 2016
Links: Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads
Source: I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

His office temptation is now his full-blown fantasy…

Paying down her sister’s debts has left personal assistant Emma Strickland with little more than the thrift store suit on her back. And as if the suckfest couldn’t get worse, she’s forced to get a second job as a waitress to support herself and her cat. At a strip club. Her uptight, sexy-as-hell boss Brody Kane can never find out.

Texas property tycoon Brody Kane hired Emma for her spreadsheet skills, but her prim and proper demeanor sealed the deal. There’s no room in his life for a sexy distraction…and yet, he can’t stop lusting after the delicious Ms. Strickland.

But then he takes an important client to a Chicago strip club and gets the worst lap dance in adult entertainment history. From Emma.

Now that he knows his office good girl has a naughty streak, Brody makes it his mission to uncover her secrets, one illicit, over-the-desk encounter at a time. But Emma is hiding more than her side job, and her final secret could end up destroying them both.

I’ve only read one other book by Kate Meader, but I freaking LOVED it (and the alpha male) so I was excited to read another book by her! Plus, this is an office romance between a boss and his assistant, a trope I adore, so Taking the Score is pretty much just pure fun and sexiness. If you love your books hot and filled with chemistry, with a dash of humor, you need to get your hands on this book! Brody and Emma rocked my socks off in Taking the Score.

He had always enjoyed puzzles, working things out, moving pieces around until it made sense. Ms. Strickland did not make sense.
He would learn her.

Brody Kane has been having fantasies about his prim and proper assistant, despite the fact that she never wears form-fitting clothes or even offers a hint of desire back to him. So to say Brody is shocked to see Emma working at a strip club where he’s entertaining a client… well, it’s an understatement, to say the least. Never has he seen her so sexy and revealing, and all he wants to do is unveil every part of her, starting with her clothes.

Emma Strickland has taken on her sister’s debt and is paying it off at a strip club, where it just so happens she gets found out by her boss. As embarrassing at is it, this is also the one time where she can show who she really is to Brody and act on the craving she’s had for him for months. But the last thing she expects is for their sexual relationship to continue, and for her heart to start falling for her gorgeous, rich boss.

“You won’t way it, then I’ll say it for you.” He slammed into her. “Me inside you. This is the truth, your truth. Not what you were before.” He withdrew and stroked again. Long, thick, consuming. His mouth, set to torture, claimed hers and destroyed every last barrier. “It’s this honesty you show me when I’m inside you. Nothing else matters. Just this.”

I loved Brody and Emma. These two are fantastic, unique characters, even if the boss/assistant trope is clichéd. They have some wicked sexy banter and Brody has the dirtiest mouth on him. Kate Meader knows how to write alpha-males, but what I loved most about Brody was his nerdiness. He’s a bonafide glasses-wearing, Star Wars-loving, Doctor Who geek, and I LOVED IT!! I just don’t read enough sexy nerdy heroes, so Brody is such a refreshing change. And Emma herself is a head-strong, intelligent, independent woman. She doesn’t let Brody and his slightly overbearing ways run all over her, and instead gives as good as she gets. The two of them make a wonderful couple that I enjoyed reading about so much.

Taking the Score is the perfect read if you’re in the mood for something light-hearted yet crazy steamy. I had so much fun reading this quick, sexy book, and I’m definitely looking forward to more in the series.

4 hearts
lacey

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

Reading Order: Tall, Dark, and Texan series

 Taking the Score by Kate Meader 

#1 ~ Even the Score: Ebook • Goodreads
#2 ~ Taking the Score: Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads
#3 ~ One Week to Score: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads

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Release Day Review: Jockblocked by Jen Frederick

Posted in 3 hearts, Reviews by

Jockblocked by Jen Frederick

Jockblocked by Jen Frederick
Series: Gridiron #2 (full reading order below)
Publication Date: February 10th 2015
Links: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
Source: I received an ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review

She’s always played it safe…

College junior Lucy Washington abides by one rule—avoid risk at all costs. She’s cautious in every aspect of her life, from her health, to her mock trial team, to the boring guys she dates. When a brash, gorgeous jock walks into the campus coffeeshop and turns his flirt on, Lucy is stunned by the force of attraction. For the first time ever, she’s willing to step out of her comfort zone, but can she really trust the guy who’s determined to sweep her off her feet?

He’s always played around…

Entering his last year of college eligibility, linebacker Matthew “Matty” Iverson has the team captaincy in his sights. And it’s his for the taking, if he can convince his quarterback Ace Anderson to give up the starting position. Luckily, Matty already has an edge—the hottie he’s lusting over just happens to be Ace’s childhood best friend. Getting Lucy on his side and in his bed? Hell yeah. Matty is more than confident he can have both, but when he falls hard for Lucy, it’s time for a new game plan: convince the woman of his dreams that she’s not sleeping with the enemy.

I’m a big fan of sports romances these days, and since I really liked the first book in the Gridiron series, I jumped at the chance to read Jockblocked. While I can’t say I loved it, the book was still a fairly enjoyable read. I think it was just the fact that not much happened in this story that made it more average than anything. Still, if you’re looking for a well-written, light-hearted sports romance, you should definitely give Jockblocked a try.

Lucy Washington doesn’t like to take risks. As a diabetic, she’s careful about everything in her life, which includes her body and heart. So when a gorgeous boy on campus asks her out, she says no, no matter how good he looks and how much sex he exudes. And when she finds out that he’s none other than football star Matthew Iverson? She’s definitely not about to let a player like him anywhere near her heart.

Can I be more obvious? I don’t think so. Unfortunately, Lucy isn’t taking the bait. Another girl would be leaning against the counter, maybe twirling her hair around her finger. Lucy looks bored. That should bother me more, but instead I feel kind of energized by her dismissiveness. It’s sure as hell different.

As a football player, Matty is used to getting girls whenever, wherever he wants. So he’s intrigued when Lucy is pretty much the first girl to ever refuse him. Matty is tenacious, and he’s not the type of guy to give up when he encounters an obstacle. Being around Lucy only makes him want her more, and for more than just her body. He might just be falling in love, but will he be able to prove to Lucy that he’s a man she can trust?

I really enjoyed the way Lucy and Matty’s relationship started. Lucy is strong and independent, and she’s not a pushover when it comes to Matty so she doesn’t give in immediately to his advances. I loved how she made him work for her trust and heart, made him prove to her that she wasn’t going to be just another notch on his bedpost. Matty is definitely a sweet-talker with all his flirty banter with Lucy, and his determination to win over Lucy was swoony as all get-out. Everything about them is fun and light-hearted, and the progression of their romance is slow but sweet.

Matty might have been my biggest risk, but he is sure as hell the best reward a girl could ever have.

I liked this book. It was good… but I can’t say there was anything special about it. I didn’t particularly connect with Lucy or Matt, as much as I enjoyed their romance. The book was a little too slow and even boring at times – it almost felt like nothing happened during these slow times. Maybe if the pace picked up a bit more and there was more drama, I would’ve loved it more, but that’s just me. Jockblocked really is perfect if you’re in the mood for something easy, fun, and sweet. Fans of Sacked will enjoy seeing the cameos of Ellie, Knox, and the rest of the football team!

3 hearts
lacey

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

Reading Order: Gridiron series

Sacked by Jen Frederick Jockblocked by Jen Frederick

#1 ~ Sacked: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#2 ~ Jockblocked: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#3 ~ Downed: Goodreads (release date TBA)
#4 ~ Played: Goodreads (release date TBA)

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