Early Review: A Moment of Weakness by Brooklyn Skye

Posted in 4 hearts, Reviews by Lacey

A Moment of Weakness by Brooklyn Skye
Series: Boston Alibi #1
Publication Date: October 19th 2015
Links: Ebook • Goodreads
Source: I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

He can fight anything…except his need for her.

Until her new job starts in September, buttoned-up elementary school teacher Laurel Harris is at loose ends and in need of cash. Fortunately her best friend’s older brother is a single dad and desperately needs a nanny. Or so she’s told. She doesn’t anticipate him being such a menacing, muscled, and undeniably gorgeous man…or that he has zero interest in hiring a nanny.

Micah Crane will do right by his young daughter, no matter the cost. And right now, that cost is juggling parenthood with long hours at his bar and working as an enforcer for a notorious crime boss. He doesn’t need another complication in his life, but the sweet, frustratingly opinionated little blonde hell-bent on caring for his daughter stirs his blood like no woman ever has.

All it takes is a moment of weakness to ignite the lust blazing between them. A moment that will unravel their self-control and unleash all of Micah’s darkest secrets…

I absolutely loved the sound of A Moment of Weakness – a hot, single father with a bit of danger in him falls for his daughter’s nanny? Yes please! I ended up really enjoying this book, even though it wasn’t quite what I expected. I wasn’t really sold on the hero in the beginning, but he grew more likable later on. Overall, Brooklyn Skye’s A Moment of Weakness is certainly an entertaining, sexy read I’d recommend.

Laurel Harris is looking for a job for the summer, and her best friend gets her one as a babysitter for Micah, her friend’s brother. What she doesn’t expect is for Micah to be a sexy, big, tattooed hunk of a man. Micah, on the other hand, doesn’t believe he needs a babysitter for his daughter, Shea, because he thinks he’s doing just fine as a single parent… even though he takes Shea with him to the bar he owns and has a side job as a mob enforcer. When he finally sees that maybe his daughter isn’t in the best environment, he reluctantly hires Laurel and has her stay in his home – which only makes the sparks between them fly hotter than ever.

Micah was a bit too hot-and-cold in the beginning for my taste – it was pretty off-putting. One minute he’d be all over Laurel, the chemistry between them hot-as-hell, and the next he’d be cold and distant. This grew better later on in the book though, thankfully, as the two start falling for each other. I adored Laurel – she’s a sweetheart of a character, and I loved the way she was with Micah’s daughter. The three of them together is honestly the cutest thing ever!

A Moment of Weakness is incredibly well-written. I’m excited for more from Brooklyn Skye, since this book seems to be the first in the Boston Alibi series. The author definitely knows how to write a steamy book with some intense scenes. Overall, I’d definitely recommend A Moment of Weakness for those who like quick, sexy, satisfying reads.

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12Oct2015

Review Tour: Slow Play by Monica Murphy

Posted in 3 hearts, Blog Tours, Reviews by Lacey

Welcome to today’s stop on the blog tour for Slow Play by Monica Murphy!

Slow Play by Monica Murphy
Series: The Rules #3 (full reading order below)
Publication Date: October 13th 2015

Newly broke girl Alexandria Asher just wants to live a normal life. After her parents are sent to prison on embezzlement charges, she enrolls in college under her mother’s maiden name and tries her best to pretend she’s someone else.

Tristan Prescott is everything Alex is trying to avoid. A seemingly egotistical, lazy, rich jerk, she dumps her beer on his head when he comes on to her one night at a party. This only spurs Tristan into action. He loves nothing more than a challenge. And the beautiful Alex is exactly the type of challenge that intrigues him.

Despite her reluctance, Alex finds herself quickly involved with Tristan. Underneath that playboy exterior is a good guy, a sweet and sexy guy who she is undoubtedly falling for. What they both don’t realize is the actions of Alex’s parents are the reason for so much tragedy in Tristan’s family. And when Tristan discovers who Alex and her family really is, can he forgive and forget?

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

Slow Play is the third and final book in Monica Murphy’s The Rules series (which I have really enjoyed), and it is Tristan’s story! I had high hopes for Tristan’s book because I love a good manwhore redemption story. And while I liked this book well enough, it’s not my favorite of the series. Slow Play is mostly okay – I adored the heroine, but Tristan was pretty hard to like. It’s a slow, sexy read that fans of the series might want to try, but I have mixed feelings about it.

Ever since his two best friends have fallen for their girls, Tristan Prescott is making up for Shep and Gabe’s losses by hooking up with one girl after another. Tristan firmly believes that he will NEVER fall in love – it’s just not for him. But when he meets Alexandria Asher, she’s the first girl to ever hold his intrigue for more than a night. And yes, he’s pretty much an asshole the first time he meets her… and for a majority of the book. But he’s relentless in his determination to have Alex – first just in his bed, but eventually, as he gets to know her more, he wants her in his life.

From the moment I’ve met Alexandria, nothing’s been normal. It’s like I’m in a different realm, especially tonight.

Alex has enrolled at college under a different last name to distance herself from the mess that was her past life. All she wants is to be normal, but the second she meets Tristan Prescott, her life is anything but normal. Despite the crazy intense chemistry between them, she manages to dodge nearly all of his moves. But it’s when Tristan shows his vulnerable, sincere side that Alex can’t help but gravitate toward him. I LOVED Alex. I loved how headstrong she was, how she was able to deflect and stand up against Tristan so well. The two of them are definitely well-matched, and I really enjoyed getting to know both the steamy parts of their relationship, and the more heartfelt parts of it.

“You feel it,” he whispers. “I touch you and it’s like electricity sparks between us. I look into your eyes and I feel like I’m fucking drowning. And when I kiss you, I never want to stop.”

Slow Play is… well, slow. Incredibly slow. Alex wants to truly know if Tristan’s intentions are, maybe not honorable, but real. She wants more than just one night with him, and Tristan sets out to prove that he wants both Alex and her heart. And it takes a long while for their relationship to progress. Alex lets Tristan in, but not by much. She still keeps parts of her life a secret from him. And sadly, the plot with Alex’s family being involved with Tristan’s wasn’t as fleshed-out as I expected. It’s not until nearly the end that secrets are finally revealed.

I wish I could say I loved it, but Tristan just didn’t click for me, and that brought the book down a bit. I didn’t feel like he was truly redeemed from his asshole reputation, but I did appreciate that he was completely faithful to Alex since the moment he meets her. Still, I wholeheartedly loved Alex, and Monica Murphy’s writing is so easy and fun to read, so maybe fans of the series will love this book more than I did. It’s a good book, but again, just not my favorite of the series.

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

Reading Order: The Rules series

#1 ~ Fair Game: My Review • Ebook • Paperback• Audible • Goodreads
#2 ~ In the Dark: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#3 ~ Slow Play: Ebook • Goodreads (Oct. 13, 2015)

New York Times, USA Today and international bestselling author Monica Murphy is a native Californian who lives in the foothills below Yosemite with her husband and three children. She’s a workaholic who loves her job. When she’s not busy writing, she also loves to read and travel with her family. She writes new adult and contemporary romance and is published with Bantam and Avon. She also writes romance as USA Today bestselling author Karen Erickson.

Website • Blog • Twitter • Facebook • Goodreads • Amazon Page

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8Oct2015

Early Review: Everything I Left Unsaid by M. O’Keefe

Posted in 4 hearts, Reviews by Lacey

Everything I Left Unsaid by M. O’Keefe
Series: Everything I Left Unsaid #1 (full reading order below)
Publication Date: October 13th 2015
Links: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
Source: I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

Fans of Jodi Ellen Malpas, K. Bromberg, and Joanna Wylde will be unable to resist this sexy, deeply intimate tale of a woman running from her past, and the darkly mysterious man who sets her free.

I didn’t think answering someone else’s cellphone would change my life. But the stranger with the low, deep voice on the other end of the line tempted me, awakened my body, set me on fire. He was looking for someone else. Instead he found me.

And I found a hot, secret world where I felt alive for the first time.

His name was Dylan, and, strangely, he made me feel safe. Desired. Compelled. Every dark thing he asked me to do, I did. Without question. I longed to meet him, but we were both keeping secrets. And mine were dangerous. If I took the first step, if I got closer to Dylan—emotionally, physically—then I wouldn’t be hiding anymore. I would be exposed, with nothing left to surrender but the truth. And my truth could hurt us both.

What a fantastic, compelling read! I was up until 3 am trying to finish this book – I really couldn’t put it down. I was first intrigued by this book because of the blurb and the lovely cover, and I’m so glad that I wasn’t let down. Everything I Left Unsaid is a suspenseful, sexy, mysterious read that I highly enjoyed. It’s the first book in a duet, and yes, it does end in a cliffhanger! Luckily, the second book releases a month after the first.

Annie has just moved into the Flowered Manor Trailer Park, on the run from her abusive husband. The trailer park is in the middle of nowhere, so for the most part, she’s safe. She plans to keep her head down and keep to herself for as long as she can, doing some manual labor to make some money, until a mysterious man named Dylan calls a cellphone left in her trailer. Her life changes even more thanks to this stranger, who she feels an undeniable connection with. From the moment they start talking to each other on the phone, they’re fascinated with each other. Some flirting begins, and then things turn raw and sensual…

“Let me … let me tell you what to do.”
“Are you … going to laugh at me?”
“Laugh? I’m the fucking luckiest man on the planet tonight. The only thing I’m going to do is help you come.”

I myself was fascinated with Annie and Dylan. Annie is a wonderfully complex character, so tough yet innocent at the same time. She had a difficult life growing up, a life which turned dark and dangerous once her abusive husband entered the picture. She’s free now, but realizing that she’s missed out on a lot in life. With Dylan’s help, Annie breaks out of her shell, growing into herself, discovering the person she’s meant to be. And all the while, she wants Dylan desperately, their daily phone communication solidifying their relationship into something wonderful and treasured.

In the end it wasn’t a decision. Dylan was an instinct. An urge, like a tide in my blood.

Dylan is no less complex or intriguing than Annie. He’s a mysterious man – even though we get his POV (in the 3rd person), we still don’t know very much about him. I loved the way the author kept me on my toes about Dylan. He’s got both a good and bad side of him (he even refers to himself as a beast), and it was fascinating to see his secrets unravel. What we do know for sure is how much Annie consumes him – nothing in his life is the same after talking to her for the first time.

Truthfully, he would break every rule he had, every promise he’d ever made, and go to all the trouble in the world for this girl and she had no idea. None.

M. O’Keefe has written a wonderfully fascinating, entertaining book that I couldn’t put down. The writing in this is absolutely fantastic – it’s the kind of writing that keeps me reading, even when the story slows down. The characters are compelling, unique, and very likable. I wholeheartedly enjoyed reading Everything I Left Unsaid, and am very much looking forward to reading the sequel!

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

Reading Order: Everything I Left Unsaid series

#1 ~ Everything I Left Unsaid: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#2 ~ The Truth About Him: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#3 ~ Burn Down the Night: Ebook • Goodreads (Aug. 2, 2016)

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6Oct2015

Release Day Review: Rock Redemption by Nalini Singh

Posted in 3.5 hearts, Reviews by Lacey

Rock Redemption by Nalini Singh
Series: Rock Kiss #3 (full reading order below)
Publication Date: October 6th 2015
Purchase: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
Source: I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

From New York Times bestselling author Nalini Singh comes the next contemporary romance in the Rock Kiss series…

Kit Devigny could have loved rock guitarist Noah St. John. Their friendship burned with the promise of intense passion and searing tenderness…until the night Noah deliberately shattered her heart.

Noah knows he destroyed something precious the night he chose to betray Kit, but he’d rather she hate him than learn his darkest secret. All he has left is his music. It’s his saving grace, but it doesn’t silence the voices that keep him up at night. Chasing oblivion through endless one-night-stands, he earns a few hours’ sleep and his bad boy reputation.

When a media error sees Noah and Kit dubbed the new “it” couple, Kit discovers her chance at the role of a lifetime hinges on riding the media wave. Wanting–needing–to give Kit this, even if he can’t give her everything, Noah agrees to play the adoring boyfriend. Only the illusion is suddenly too real, too painful, too beautiful…and it may be too late for the redemption of Noah St. John.

I struggled a bit with Rock Redemption. I had high hopes for Noah and Kit’s story, after getting to know a little about them in the previous Rock Kiss books, but their story played out differently than I expected. I adore Nalini Singh and love her writing, but I have to admit that the actual romance in this book disappointed me. Not to say I didn’t like the book, because I enjoyed it overall, but I just wanted more.

He adored her, and because he did, he would never touch her. The instant he did, he’d ruin her, ruin everything. He didn’t want their relationship tainted by sex–if they even had any kind of a relationship.

Rock star Noah St. John and actress Kit Devigny were close friends, and almost became something more, until Noah did something awful and broke Kit’s trust and heart. Because of his painful past, Noah doesn’t believe he’s capable of being in love, so he hurts Kit to keep her at arms length and away from himself and the demons of his past. I wouldn’t say that what he did was unforgivable, because they weren’t even together, but I did want to know why he did what he did, and I certainly wanted to know how he was going to make up for the hurt. What I didn’t expect was for Noah to earn his forgiveness by repairing his and Kit’s friendship. A romantic relationship is not in the cards for them until much later, which I was disappointed with. I mean, they’re both so IN LOVE with each other, I just couldn’t understand Noah’s need for friendship only.

“Be with me,” he whispered, knowing it was the most selfish thing he’d ever asked of anyone in his entire life. “Be with me.”
Kit froze against him, a flesh and blood statue.
“I can’t be what you need,” he whispered against the side of her head. “But be with me anyway.”

To help Kit and her blooming acting career, Noah and Kit pretend to be a couple, but being around each other 24/7 only further entangles their emotions for one another. The romance is slow, but when they finally, FINALLY try to make it work, there are a ton of obstacles in the way of their relationship. With trust issues, a heartbreaking past, even a stalker, Kit and Noah have to work and fight for their love and coveted HEA.

God, she loved him.
There, she’d said it, even if it was only in her head. She loved him. Damaged and beautiful and talented, he was the only man she’d ever loved, no matter if he’d stomped on her heart.

Nalini Singh’s writing is flawless as usual. It was certainly the best part about this book – the gorgeous writing was mainly what kept me reading. Rock Redemption was actually quite easy to read – even though the romance was slow, I never really wanted to put this book down. What also kept me reading were the other members of Schoolboy Choir! I loved that we get to see Fox and Molly, David and Thea, and even Abe and his ex-wife Sarah. I’ve noticed that Nalini Singh does an incredible job of setting up the next couple for each book in this series, and even though Noah and Kit’s didn’t quite pan out the way I expected, I still have high hopes for Abe and Sarah’s.

I love Nalini Singh, but this latest book in the Rock Kiss series didn’t impress me very much. I liked it, but I didn’t really FEEL the connection between the main characters. And when I finally got excited about the romance, there just wasn’t enough of it to fully satisfy me by the end. But still, if you’re a fan of the series, you might end up loving this book. Nalini Singh has a wonderful talent at writing and storytelling, so even as I struggled with Rock Redemption, I could still appreciate how well-written it was.

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

Reading Order: Rock Kiss series

#1 ~ Rock Addiction: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#1.5 ~ Rock Courtship: My Review • Ebook • Audible • Goodreads
#2 ~ Rock Hard: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#3 ~ Rock Redemption: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#4 ~ Rock Wedding: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads (July 19, 2016)

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5Oct2015

Early Review: Chaser by Staci Hart

Posted in 4.5 hearts, Reviews by Lacey

Chaser by Staci Hart
Series: Bad Habits #2 (full reading order below)
Publication Date: October 15th 2015
Links: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
Source: I received an ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review

Everyone knows you should never say never.

Cooper Moore never saw Maggie Williams coming. She was just his best friend’s little sister, the curly-haired, freckle-faced girl from Mississippi who was absolutely off limits. And he never thought about her any other way — not until he saw her that night, broken and brave. From that moment on, he knew he’d do whatever it took to protect her, even if it meant he had to stay away.

Maggie never expected to find her fiancé banging her maid of honor an hour before she was set to walk down the aisle, but life’s funny that way. The only option to save her sanity is to get the hell out of Jackson and move to New York where her brother lives. The only downside: Cooper is there too. And she just doesn’t know if she can stay away from him — the filthy rich, dead sexy playboy who’s allergic to commitment.

The second Maggie sees him again, she realizes he’ll be impossible to resist. Luckily, commitment is the last thing on her mind, and Cooper is the perfect escape. As long as she can keep her heart in check, everything will be just fine. Because she can never have feelings for him. Or at least that’s what she’ll keep telling herself.

I’d been eagerly awaiting Staci Hart’s Chaser after absolutely adoring With a Twist (a fantastic friends-to-lovers book – my review here), and I’m glad to say that it didn’t disappoint! It’s possible that I might love Chaser even MORE than With a Twist, all because of one gorgeous man named Cooper. Cooper Moore, and all his yummy, nerdy goodness, has stolen my heart, and I don’t ever want it back. I honestly didn’t think I’d be able to love him more than West from With a Twist but, well, I do. I so freaking do. Cooper and Maggie’s book is another stunning read from Staci Hart, full of warmth, humor, and heart. Those who love their romances well-written with an incredible cast of characters, this book – and series – is for you.

“I’ve been around the world, and I thought I’d seen everything it had to offer until that night, until I saw you. In all my life, I’ve never seen anything so beautiful, not standing in the Blue Mosque or the Taj Mahal. Not in the streets of rome or canals of Venice. Making you smile gives me life. Making you laugh gives me hope. Making you happy is all I want, other than to keep you.”

Maggie just recently moved to New York after finding her fiancé cheating on her the day of their wedding. NY is where her brother, West, is… and also his best friend, Cooper Moore. Cooper is the ultimate playboy – he’s hot, rich, famous, fun, so why shouldn’t Maggie have a no-strings attached sexual relationship with him to get her to forget her troubles? So for a few weeks, the two are involved in a secret relationship, with rules to keep feelings off the table. But in between the shared laughs, furtive glances, and fiery chemistry, Maggie and Cooper start to fall for each other. But with a relationship built on secrets, is it possible to make it work?

She had changed me on the molecular level, and she had no idea.

So I kind of hardcore adored this book. Okay, not kind of – I totally adored this gorgeous romance. It’s a little slow-paced in the first half of the book, but it picks up quickly after that. The writing is on-point, the characters feel so real, the romance is as sweet as it is passionate. Chaser almost read like a fairytale, it’s so dreamy and romantic. What surprised me though, was the amount of depth of Cooper and Maggie’s characters. Maggie is still lost after being betrayed by a man she loved for years, and Cooper is in this sort of stagnant state in his life. Staci Hart delves deep into their characters, making them face their wants and desires, not just for each other, but out of life. I LOVED that Maggie and Cooper are so multidimensional, because they become all the more real and relatable.

Purpose. A reason. A spark to light up my gray life, make me want more.
Was it her?
… And when I thought back over the past few weeks, I realized that she wasn’t a spark. She was a wildfire.

God, Cooper. When this man falls, he falls so. hard. I’m such a sucker for heroes who do a complete 180 from their playboy ways once they realize how in love with the heroine they are, and Cooper could not be more perfect. All his actions and words are so filled with love for Maggie… AH!!! My heart nearly couldn’t take the level of devotion Cooper has for Maggie.

“Maggie is a singular event in my life. I want her. Forever.”

Staci Hart is quickly becoming a favorite author of mine. Her Bad Habits series is so well-developed, with great writing and a brilliant cast of characters. Reading about Maggie and Cooper, Lily and West, and Rose and Tricky truly feels like catching up with old friends. And ohmygod, Tricky!!!! Goddamn, I want this man’s book bad. I have a feeling Patrick and Rose’s book is going to be the best of the series.

Overall, Chaser was a joy to read. I was swept away by Maggie and Cooper’s stunning romance, and I honestly can’t wait for more from the series. I’m seriously addicted to these characters that Staci Hart has created, and I nearly wish that their stories would never end.

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

Reading Order: Bad Habits series

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

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Early Review: A Moment of Weakness by Brooklyn Skye

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