Release Day Review: Her Halloween Treat by Tiffany Reisz

Posted in 4 hearts, Reviews by Lacey

Her Halloween Treat by Tiffany Reisz
Series: Men at Work #1 (full reading order below)
Publication Date: September 20th 2016
Links: Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads
Source: I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

Trick…or wicked treat!

It was a devastating dirty trick—Joey Silvia just found out her boyfriend of two years is married. What. A. Dick. Joey knows her best chance to get over one guy is to get under another. Of course, heading home to her family’s remote cabin in Oregon poses some challenges in the “available men” department…until she discovers this cabin comes with its own hot handyman!

Holy crap, Chris Steffensen. When did her brother’s best friend turn into a hard-bodied pile of blond-bearded hotness? He’s the perfect Halloween treat—and a surprisingly dirty rebound guy. For a couple of weeks, anyway. Except that Chris has other ideas…like proving to Joey that this blast from the past is a whole lot more than a naughty Halloween hookup.

I became a fan for life of Tiffany Reisz’s when I read her Original Sinners series earlier this year. So when I heard she’d be writing a new contemporary romance series, I was ALL for it. The Men at Work series starts off with Her Halloween Treat, and it certainly doesn’t disappoint. Turns out Tiffany Reisz can write contemporary romance just as well as erotica, though that doesn’t mean there wasn’t steam in this book. There’s some fantastic chemistry between the heroine and her older brother’s best friend – one of my favorite romance tropes to read! If you’re looking for something fun that will have you simultaneously melting and laughing, this book (and series) is a must read!

“You’re prettier than you were in high school, and in high school you were perfect.”
“You’re prettier than you were in high school, too.”
“And?”
“And…”
“I didn’t look perfect in high school?”
“You wore a chain wallet.”
“So there was a lot of room for improvement.”
“You improved. You definitely improved.” She leaned forward and kissed him back.

After finding out her boyfriend of two years is actually married, Joey Silvia returns home for her brother’s wedding, hoping that the time away from work and her ex will help her get over him. And how fortunate that she runs into an attractive handyman at her family’s cabin… who happens to be her brother’s best friend, Chris. They haven’t seen each other in years, so the wicked hot chemistry that springs up between them surprises them both. Joey tries to keep Chris as her rebound guy, and Chris tries to keep his feelings in check, though both ultimately don’t succeed as emotions grow deeper. But can a relationship work between them when Chris’s home is in Oregon while Joey’s work is in Hawaii?

“I used to dream about being your first in high school. I didn’t tell Dillon that part of my crush.”
“You don’t get to be my first time. But maybe you can be the best time?”

I adored this book. It was the perfect combination of funny, witty banter and hot, dirty sex. I had no idea I was capable of laughing while also getting hot and bothered while reading a book, but Tiffany Riesz has a talent of making me feel new things while reading her books. I loved the main characters, especially Chris. His teenaged crush on Joey back in high school was the sweetest thing and made him so endearing. But he’s definitely all man now, grown up, confident, and settled in who he is. I loved him and Joey together! And have I mentioned how freaking hilarious the banter is between these two? This book has some of the best dialogue I’ve ever read – it’s seriously a blast to read. I highly recommend giving Her Halloween Treat a try if you love contemporary romance – it’s quick, sexy, charming, and so much fun!

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

Reading Order: Men at Work series

#1 ~ Her Halloween Treat: Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads
#2 ~ Her Naughty Holiday: Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads (Oct. 18, 2016)
#3 ~ One Hot December: Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads (Nov. 22, 2016)

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5Sep2016

Release Day Review: Breaking Him by Sherilee Gray

Posted in 4.5 hearts, Reviews by Lacey

Breaking Him by Sherilee Gray
Series: Standalone
Publication Date: September 5th 2016
Links: Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads
Source: I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

Folks in town call him a monster—say he’s dangerous. But I know him simply as Elijah Hays, the quiet, gentle giant who works with the horses on my ranch. I can feel him watching me, that steady intense gaze making me crave things I don’t quite understand, burn in a way that frightens me. He’s always kept his distance…until that night.

I remember him coming to my rescue, me following him into the barn, giving him his first taste of a woman, and his inexperienced yet barely reined touch turning me to ash.

Now all I can think about is exposing the dark desire I see deep inside him—having him turn those dark desires on me. That low, gritty voice rasping orders in my ear. Those huge, rough hands holding me down when a storm blows in.

I want his surrender. His control. I want to break him…and have him break me…

Y’all, I haven’t read some good smut in ages, but Breaking Him pushed allll the right buttons for me. Lovely heroine I adored? Check. Alpha hero who’s the strong and silent type, a cowboy, a gentleman, and a VIRGIN? Check, check, check. Hot, dirty, sweaty, sexy smut where the hero basically worships the heroine and deals out some good dirty talk? CHECK! So basically, I loved this book – I had so much fun reading it, and if the author’s other books are anything like Breaking Him, I’m going to need to start them stat. You can never have too much smut in your life!

I wanted to break through, break him—so I could put him back together piece by piece and make him whole again.

After inheriting her father’s ranch, Abigail has barely been able to keep the ranch afloat. It doesn’t help that every day she’s insanely attracted to and distracted by her ranch hand, the big, brooding Elijah Hays. Thanks to the way he grew up, everyone in their small town thinks he’s a monster, but Abigail’s the only one who knows otherwise. She sees him for the good, kind, honest man he is – that she just happens to imagine him in her sexual fantasies doesn’t influence the way she sees him either. But when Eli accidentally walks in on her masturbation session, the chemistry that’s been brewing between them suddenly explodes, and these two can’t keep their hands off each other.

“You feel so good. So soft and warm and goddamn perfect.” He licked his lips. “Darlin’, you’re all over my hand.” I was gripping his biceps, and the muscles twitched. “I can smell you. Christ, I think I’m losing my mind, Abigail. Making you feel good, it’s all I want to do. I never want to stop.”

I love me some virgin heroes, and a cowboy one at that. Eli is my favorite kind of hero, too, one who’s protective, caring, and willing to do anything for his woman. Abigail is the only one for him, and he makes this so obvious I couldn’t help but swoon. I loved the way these two were together, how well they worked both on the ranch and in bed. And though Eli is a virgin, that doesn’t mean he doesn’t know what he’s doing – the smut in Breaking Him nearly reminds me of Tessa Bailey’s, and that’s high praise if you know me 😉 But of course, Abigail and Eli can’t stay on the ranch forever. The town’s judgment, the fate of the ranch, and all the outside forces seem to be against these two being together. But the love and dedication they have for one another isn’t so easy to break.

“You’re my salvation, Abigail,” he said, voice low and guttural, each word punctuated with an almost violent thrust of his hips. “Right here, inside you, I’m redeemed. I’m the man you need. I’m yours and you’re mine.”

This is erotic romance at its finest. If you enjoy that genre, you MUST give Breaking Him a try! I loved the characters and the smut. If anyone can tell me where I can find more virgin cowboy heroes, please tell me, because I am ALL about that now. Now I’m off to read more books by Sherilee Gray, because I need more of her smut in my life!

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

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30Aug2016

Release Day Review: For Better or Worse by Lauren Layne

Posted in 4.5 hearts, Reviews by Lacey

For Better or Worse by Lauren Layne
Series: The Wedding Belles #2 (full reading order below)
Publication Date: August 30th 2016
Links: Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads
Source: I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

Will a budding wedding planner and her bad boy neighbor stop banging heads and start hearing wedding bells in the sexy second novel in USA TODAY bestselling author Lauren Layne’s irresistible new series that marries Sex and the City with The Wedding Planner?

When small-town girl Heather Fowler finally gets promoted from assistant to actual wedding planner, she’s determined to make it as one of Manhattan’s elite Wedding Belles. Unfortunately, her first client demands an opulent black-tie affair at the Plaza…in five months’ time. Heather’s days quickly become a flurry of cake tastings, dress-fittings, RSVP cards, and bridal tantrums. But what she’s really losing sleep over is the live music blaring from her playboy neighbor’s apartment all night.

Five years ago, Josh Tanner was an up-and-comer on Wall Street, complete with the penthouse and the migraines. But a grim cancer diagnosis made him realize there is more to life than the corner office. If only he could convince his pretty, workaholic neighbor to let loose, too. As Heather lets down her guard, Josh is surprised when he starts falling for the sweet, vulnerable woman hiding beneath those power suits. Soon, it’s Heather’s turn to convince Josh to take the biggest risk of all: love.

I am falling more and more in love with Lauren Layne’s The Wedding Belles series with every new release! If you like wedding romances or sweet contemporary romance, this series – and honestly, this author – is a must read. The characters are adorable, the romance is swoony, and the wedding planning backdrop is perfect for a light-hearted, summery read!

Heather Fowler is living her life-long dream – to be a wedding planner living in NYC. Well, she’s almost living out the dream, since she’s currently only an assistant wedding planner. But her next wedding will make or break her career, since she’s given the opportunity of a lifetime to plan celebrity Danica Robinson’s wedding. But with the bride completely hands-off the wedding, the pressure and stress to get everything right and perfect starts to get to Heather… and it doesn’t help that her late nights become even more late thanks to a rowdy neighbor blasting music at inconsiderate times. She goes to confront the guy in 4A, but what she gets is something more, something better than she could have imagined.

Once again, it was this snotty, mouthy woman who’d managed to shake him out of his funk.
It was becoming increasingly clear that his intriguing new neighbor might be exactly what he needed to make him feel alive.

Josh Tanner is a cancer survivor who knows how short life can be and is living his life to the fullest… or is he? He threw away a job doing what he loved, and now he’s in a band making music and not having any worries. When the girl in 4C comes over to confront him about his late-night playing, he finds himself intrigued by her, and the more he gets to know her, the more he wants her – but only in bed, and not for a relationship. I’ll admit, I’m a little tired of heroes who are adamantly against having anything to do with love, but Josh is something else. He’s an adorable, frustrating, lovable man, with many layers to him that make him feel real and genuine. And he’s seriously the SWEETEST – with the things he says and does, how could Heather NOT fall for him!?

He was good.
He was the best.
He was everything.

I love when the MCs bring out the best in each other, and Heather and Josh do exactly that. Josh makes Heather realize there are other things to appreciate in life than a high-pressure job, and Heather makes Josh notice how he’s not exactly living the full life he expected to after surviving cancer. The two of them make the most adorable couple – I had a smile on my face practically the whole time I was reading their story! Their banter, their sweet moments, their inside joke with banana bread… all of it made for a fun, worthwhile read. For Better or Worse is a feel-good, slow romance with touches of meaningful moments that warmed my heart. I would definitely recommend this to those who loved the first book. And can I just say how freaking excited I am about the final book of the series!? I need To Love and to Cherish ASAP.

Reading Order: The Wedding Belles series

#0.5 ~ From This Day Forward: My Review • Ebook • Goodreads
#1 ~ To Have and to Hold: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads
#2 ~ For Better or Worse: Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads
#3 ~ To Love and to Cherish: Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads (Oct. 18, 2016)

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23Aug2016

Release Day Review: Wild Embrace by Nalini Singh

Posted in 5 hearts, Reviews by Lacey

Wild Embrace by Nalini Singh
Series: Psy-Changeling #15.5 (full reading order below)
Publication Date: August 23rd 2016
Links: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
Source: I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

The “alpha author of paranormal romance” presents a stunningly sensual collection of four all-new Psy-Changeling novellas, in which taboos are broken, boundaries are crossed, and instincts prove irresistible…

Echo of Silence
In a deep-sea station, Tazia Nerif has found her life’s work as an engineer, keeping things running smoothly. But she wants nothing more than to break down the barrier of silence between her and her telekinetic Psy station commander…

Dorian
A changeling who can never shift lives a life of quiet frustration—until he learns how to let his leopard come out and play…

Partners in Persuasion
Still raw from being burned by a dominant female, wolf changeling Felix will never again risk being a plaything. But for dominant leopard Dezi, he’s the most fascinating man she’s ever met. She just has to convince this gun-shy wolf that he can trust the dangerous cat who wants to take a slow, sexy bite out of him…

Flirtation of Fate
Seven years ago, Kenji broke Garnet’s heart. Now the wolf packmates have to investigate the shocking murder of one of their own. And the more Kenji sees of the woman Garnet has become, the deeper he begins to fall once more. But even his primal instincts are no match for the dark secret he carries…

Nalini Singh is one of the few authors I’ve read who’s capable of writing so much in so little. Despite the novella length of each of the stories in Wild Embrace, they are all packed with heart and emotion. I seriously loved reading Wild Embrace – it’s only made me even more immersed and in love with the Psy-Changeling world. If you’re a fan of the series, you don’t want to miss out on these four stories!

Echo of Silence: If you’ve missed the old Psy-Changeling romance where the two characters are different species, like I’ll admit I have, then you HAVE to read Echo of Silence. The heroine, Tazia, is human, an engineer who’s captivated by her Psy station commander. As a Psy, Stefan is quiet and in control of all emotions. This novella is set before the Psy broke Silence, so it’s forbidden for Stefan to fall for Tazia, but when they start to work together in close proximity, you can feel the developing emotions between them. This story warmed my heart and is definitely my favorite in Wild Embrace.

Dorian: This is the shortest of the novellas, and not a romance, but I loved it anyway. We’re back with Dorian, getting snippets of his past and present, back from when he was struggling with his latent Changeling to now in his utter happiness and contentment with his mate and adopted children. We also see much of Dorian’s friends, including all the sentinels and Lucas. It was great to dive back into DarkRiver, because I’ve definitely missed them.

Partners in Persuasion: I loved the idea of this novella, with a romance between a SnowDancer male submissive and a DarkRiver female dominant. And obviously, Nalini Singh doesn’t disappoint – I was fascinated with this Changeling pairing role-reversal. Felix and Dezi’s romance is seriously the sweetest! It grew at a slow, genuine pace and put a smile on my face.

Flirtation of Fate: Kenji and Garnet is the main reason why I was most excited to read Wild Embrace, because throughout the series we’ve seen the chemistry between these two as they go head-to-head and we don’t know why they aren’t already together. Well, now we finally find out the reason and I’ll admit, Kenji’s reason for pushing Garnet away was a little disappointing. I didn’t feel like it warranted him breaking her heart and staying away for years. But other than that, it was wonderful to see these two, who have always been meant for each other, finally get together.

Is it too soon to already want more Psy-Changeling? I seriously can’t get enough of this series, and Wild Embrace has only just barely whetted my appetite for more. While this book isn’t necessary to keep up with the series, it’s still an incredible, entertaining read that gives you an even more in-depth glance at the Psy-Changeling world. I wouldn’t say you need to be all caught up to read this either – whether you’ve read all fifteen books out so far, or just one, Wild Embrace has all the PNR goodness that Nalini Singh is so good at delivering.

Reading Order: Psy-Changeling series

#1 ~ Slave to Sensation: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#2 ~ Visions of Heat: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#3 ~ Caressed by Ice: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#4 ~ Mine to Possess: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#5 ~ Hostage to Pleasure: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#6 ~ Branded by Fire: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#7 ~ Blaze of Memory: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#8 ~ Bonds of Justice: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#9 ~ Play of Passion: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#10 ~ Kiss of Snow: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
Collection #1 ~ Wild Invitation: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#11 ~ Tangle of Need: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#12 ~ Heart of Obsidian: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#13 ~ Shield of Winter: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#14 ~ Shards of Hope: Ebook • Hardcover • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#15 ~ Allegiance of Honor: My Review • Ebook • Hardcover • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
Collection #2 ~ Wild Embrace: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads

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23Aug2016

Release Day Review: Furious Rush by S.C. Stephens

Posted in 3 hearts, Reviews by Lacey

Furious Rush by S.C. Stephens
Publication Date: August 23rd 2016
Links: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
Source: I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

Too fast, too furious-and way too hot to handle . . .

Mackenzie Cox has a lot to prove. Daughter of a racing legend, she is eager to show the world that she has inherited her father’s talent in the male-dominated sport of professional motorcycle racing. The last thing Kenzie needs is to be antagonized by her rival team’s newest rider, Hayden Hayes. Plucked from the world of illegal street racing, Hayden immediately gets under Kenzie’s skin. His insinuations that Kenzie is a spoiled princess who was handed her career fuels her desire to win, and much to her surprise, Kenzie soon learns she performs better when she’s racing against Hayden.

As Kenzie and Hayden push each other on the track, the electric energy between them off the track shifts into an intense–and strictly forbidden–attraction. The only rule between their two ultra-competitive teams is zero contact. Kenzie always does her best to play by the rules, but when her team slips into a financial crisis, she has no choice but to turn to Hayden for help. The tension simmers during their secret, late-night rendezvous, but Kenzie has too much to lose to give in to her desires. Especially when she begins to doubt that Hayden has completely left his street life behind…

“Race me or chase me, Kenzie.”

I love sports romances, but I don’t typically come across ones about motorcycle racing, so I was super intrigued when I read the blurb for Furious Rush (and saw that gorgeous cover!). S.C. Stephens’ books have been a hit-or-miss for me in the past, but this book was definitely somewhere in the middle. I enjoyed some parts, especially the racing, but some characters annoyed the crap out of me. I did think it was pretty cool that this book felt like Romeo and Juliet but with motorcycle racing (and no deaths). So if you’re looking for an exciting, unique sports romance with a steamy forbidden love, I’d say give this book a try – hopefully some of the things that bugged me won’t bug you too!

Mackenzie Cox is the daughter of a former racing legend, so she’s got big shoes to fill. But more than that, the fate of her father’s motorcycle racing company rests in her hands, because it’s in dire need of some money. If she can win her races, she’ll be able to keep the company afloat. She’s focused and her head is in the game… that is, until Hayden Hayes enters the equation and makes her lose her strict control.

“Racing gives me a high… but you make me feel alive.”

A former illegal street racer, Hayden’s just signed on to race for Kenzie’s opposing team, a team that she’s forbidden to fraternize with. But what happens when Hayden becomes the only one who’s able to push her harder than ever before and make her a better racer? As they secretly meet up on the track, the chemistry between them kicks up – but then feelings get involved, and soon enough, they’re falling head over heels for each other. But what happens when their secret is found out?

I loved the idea of Hayden and Kenzie being on opposing sides, of being ‘enemies’ in motorcycle racing and then falling for one another. Hayden is a huge jerk in the beginning – he’s totally sexist and a horndog – but he grew considerably better as the book went on. I loved that he didn’t even try to fight falling for Kenzie – he wanted to be with her and that was that. I was surprised by how freaking sweet he turned out to be and how devoted he was to Kenzie!

Kenzie, on the other hand, put up one hell of a fight, so much so that it grew tedious at times. But I didn’t hate her, and my main problem with Furious Rush were the secondary characters. Sometimes secondary characters can make or break a novel for me, and the ones in this book very nearly made me want to DNF. Kenzie has the worst friends ever – they make so many idiotic, rash decisions that I wanted to choke them. Her father is even worse, but since he’s supposed to be somewhat of an antagonistic characters, I won’t get too mad about that.

Kenzie and Hayden’s romance and their thrilling races were the highlights of the novel for me. It was almost exhilarating reading about them racing each other, because they give their all for every race. I really enjoyed the way their romance developed but I can’t say I’m excited for their sequel. The ending left me with a bad feeling… but I’m probably going to read the next book just to see how it’ll turn out. I’m really hoping the series only gets better!

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

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