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Release Day Review: The Player by Kresley Cole

Posted in 5 hearts, Reviews by

The Player by Kresley Cole

The Player by Kresley Cole
Series: The Game Maker #3 (full reading order below)
Publication Date: April 12th 2016
Links: Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads
Source: I received an ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review

#1 New York Times bestselling author Kresley Cole brings readers the third book of the erotic Game Maker Series, a searing tale of a man racked with dark desires and the beautiful young woman who could sate him at last.

A madman with a shadowed past . . .
In Las Vegas, Sin City, Dmitri Sevastyan finds her, Victoria Valentine—sexy, vulnerable, and in need of a protector. Obsession takes root deep inside him. Despite a history tainted with violation and betrayal, he will stop at nothing to possess her.

A grifter with nothing to lose . . .
Descended from a long line of con artists, twenty-four-year-old Victoria, a.k.a. Vice, needs the score of a lifetime to keep her loved ones safe. She sets her sights on gorgeous and rich Dmitri Sevastyan. Even as the irresistible Russian toys with her body and mind, he tempts her heart.

Love is the ultimate wild card.
When Vice and her associates maneuver Dmitri into a hasty Vegas wedding, he refuses to protect himself with a prenup, trusting her with all that he has. But can she trust him? As secrets unfold, the newlyweds share days of doubts and nights of the wickedest pleasures. Yet once Vice discovers her husband’s past, will she stay to fight for her marriage or cut her losses and run?

AHHHH!!!! I absolutely, whole-heartedly LOVED The Player!!! It’s already one of my favorite books that I’ve read so far this year. It’s sexy, it’s addicting, it’s romantic – if you were a fan of the previous Game Maker novel, you NEED to get your hands on this third and final book!

I have to admit, going into this, I wasn’t sure it would live up to The Master, which is one of my all-time favorite books ever. But I’d been dying for Dmitri’s book ever since meeting him in The Master, so I prayed to the book gods that The Player wouldn’t disappoint – instead, Kresley Cole blew. me. away. I honestly can’t choose between Maksim and Dmitri now – these two hot AF, powerful Russian men are my kryptonite. So, just saying, if you loved Maksim in The Master, you’re going to loooove Dmitri, because he’s basically his brother but twice the alpha-ness/possessiveness/obsessiveness. *grins*

“You know what? You’re not going to bench me. Because I’m gonna run game on the juiciest mark of them all—Dmitri Sevastyan.”

Victoria Valentine comes from a family of con artists – but a scam gone wrong has them all in debt and threatened with death if they don’t pay up. The Valentines have stepped up their con game, but it’s not easy to earn millions of dollars in such a short amount of time. So Victoria sets her sights on the gorgeous, intelligent, elusive billionaire Dmitri Sevastyan – but she has no idea what’s in store for her. He fires her up like no other, leaves her breathless and wanting more. But what happens when she actually starts to fall for her mark?

“Imagine a pitch-black room with a single candle lit in the center,” he said, his voice gone low. “The room is the world. You are the candle.”
A shaky breath escaped my lips. “How can you be so sure about me?”
He leveled his spellbinding gaze on my face. “When you’ve been in the dark as long as I have, moy ángel, there is no mistaking the light.”

Dmitri has his eyes on the prize as he sweeps Victoria off her feet in a whirlwind romance and some hot, dirty, kinky sex. He doesn’t just want her body – he wants her mind and soul too, and he’ll do anything to have it all. If you don’t like heroes who are utterly obsessed with their heroines, this book might not be for you. But if you DO like obsessed alpha heroes – Dmitri. is. your. man. He’s completely taken and captivated by Victoria from the moment he sees her, and he will honestly do anything for her. *Sigh* I adore Dmitri. The way he’s so possessive of and head over heels for Victoria melts my heart – and of the three Sevastyan brothers, I honestly think he’s the most obsessive, crazy, AND romantic of them all, and that’s saying something.

He pressed a kiss to my head, and inhaled the scent of my hair. “I believe when a man finds the one woman meant to be his, he associates her scent with happiness. In the deepest recesses of his brain, he thinks, This woman is where all happiness lies. She is my home. Every time he catches her scent, that link is reinforced.” Another kiss. “My happiness lies with you, Victoria. You are my home. It is because I’ve never experienced these feelings that I recognize them.”

If you loved The Master, The Player is a must-read! There’s a twist in this book I did NOT see coming, and I applaud Kresley Cole for taking me by surprise and for making me love the book even more because of it. If you’re worried about Victoria taking advantage of Dmitri, don’t be. I promise, by the end of the novel, you’ll have no complaints about anything having to do with the con. I also loved seeing the couples from the previous books in the series, especially Maksim and Lucía – it’s just so freaking amazing to see these three powerful Russian brothers completely whipped, in love, and happy with their women. KC did an incredible job with Dmitri and Victoria’s story – the romance was addictive, the sex was raw and intense, and the world of conning was intriguing and unlike anything I’d ever read. The Player was perfection – I loved everything about this book!

5 hearts
lacey

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

Reading Order: The Game Maker series

The Professional by Kresley Cole The Master by Kresley Cole The Player by Kresley Cole

#1 ~ The Professional: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • Audible (Part One, Two, Three) • Goodreads
#2 ~ The Master: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#3 ~ The Player: Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads

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Release Day Review: Dark Notes by Pam Godwin

Posted in 4 hearts, Reviews by

Dark Notes by Pam Godwin
Series: Standalone
Publication Date: April 5th 2016
Links: Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads
Source: I received an ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review

They call me a slut. Maybe I am.
Sometimes I do things I despise.
Sometimes men take without asking.

But I have a musical gift, only a year left of high school, and a plan.
With one obstacle.

Emeric Marceaux doesn’t just take.
He seizes my will power and bangs it like a dark note.
When he commands me to play, I want to give him everything.
I kneel for his punishments, tremble for his touch, and risk it all for our stolen moments.

He’s my obsession, my master, my music.
And my teacher.

Dark Notes is hot, hot, HOT!!!! I haven’t read a GOOD erotic romance in ages, but Dark Notes totally satisfied the craving for me. Pam Godwin knows how to write steam, and she does it SO well in this book. Plus, it’s a forbidden romance, which only makes everything hotter. I was absolutely taken away with Ivory and Emeric’s forbidden love – I couldn’t put this book down! It’s an addicting, dark, captivating read that I highly recommend. If you love teacher/student romances, Dark Notes is a must read.

It’s universally known that the more forbidden something is, the more desirable it becomes. I feel this truth like a fist around my balls as I enter my classroom after lunch and find the forbidden object of my desire waiting for me.

Ivory Westbrook is a highly gifted pianist and prodigy, and though she lives in poverty, she attends one of the most elite performing arts schools in order to hone her skill and one day escape from the cruelty and abuse she experiences at home. My heart felt for Ivory and the things she’s had to do to survive not just at home, but also at such a cutthroat school. But I also admired her strength, the way she fights for what she wants, and her tenacity. She’s almost on her way out and up to the top when the music teacher who would’ve recommended her to her dream university gets replaced… by a dark, dominating, compelling man she can’t stop thinking about.

Emeric Marceaux is an intimidating character. He’s an intense alpha used to getting what he wants – but what if what he wants is forbidden to him? Ivory fascinates him, and her heart-wrenching life only brings out the protective, possessive instincts in him. He wants her, but he also wants to give her the care and affection she’s never had in her life. Emeric is dark and dangerous, and as Ivory’s teacher and ten years her senior, I worried that he would have all the power. But it’s clear that he’s just as captivated and enthralled by her as she is by him.

She’s exactly the kind of woman I’m drawn to. A woman who flees when hunted and comes alive when she’s caught. A woman who bends beneath the punishments and seeks acceptance in her humiliation. A woman who bites at the heavy hand, only to melt around the unforgiving grip when it cuts her air.

Told in dual POV, Dark Notes weaves a fascinating, erotic tale of forbidden love between two characters who are utterly meant for each other but aren’t supposed to be together. Outside forces threaten to tear them apart, but Ivory and Emeric won’t let anything get in the way of a love that’s meant to be. I was at the edge of my seat the whole time reading, biting my nails while waiting to see how their relationship would work out. The flawless writing only made the entire reading experience better. If you love deliciously hot forbidden romances, I can’t recommend Dark Notes enough.

The tempo of our breaths. The drum of our heartbeats. The crackle in the air.
The exquisite cadence pulses through me, awakening sensations I’ve never felt, composing a melody I’ve never heard of.
Our hypnotic, dark notes.
This is so much more than punishment or forbidden pleasure.
She could never be a mistake.

4 hearts
lacey

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

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Release Day Review: Brave Enough by M. Leighton

Posted in 3 hearts, Reviews by

Brave Enough by M. Leighton

Brave Enough by M. Leighton
Series: Tall, Dark, and Dangerous #3 (full reading order below)
Publication Date: April 5th 2016
Links: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
Source: I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

Is she brave enough to give her heart to a man she only thought she knew?

He was the most charismatic man I’d ever met. Strong, tough, brave. Bold as hell. Something told me Tag Barton could have anything—anyone—he wanted…and he wanted me. It didn’t matter that he was wrong for me in practically every way possible. It didn’t matter that my father would hate it.

I couldn’t resist him. Even if I’d known who he really was and what he was really capable of.

When he suggested we pretend to be engaged, I thought he was the answer to all my problems. He wasn’t. And, in his wake, he left nothing but scorched earth and me, just another casualty of my father’s war.

Can I believe him now when he tells me he loves me?  Or is he nothing more than a beautiful, breathtaking lie?

Brave Enough is the third book in the Tall, Dark, and Dangerous series, and it features Tag, who we’ve met in the previous two books. We don’t really know much about him other than his military connections with the previous heroes, but now we get to see the heart of him – and see him fall in love. I liked Brave Enough, but it’s definitely my least favorite of the series. If you love quick, hot reads, I would recommend this book, but otherwise, I’m sad to say there isn’t anything too special about it.

It’s been too long since I’ve been able to want somebody just because I want them and not because of how they may or may not fit into my life. Maybe it’s high time to go with my instincts. To go with someone who might be all wrong for me. To go with the passion. To throw caution to the wind.

Weatherly O’Neal has lived under her father’s thumb her whole life, but when she’s ordered to do the outrageous and marry a man nearly twice her age in order to save her father’s company, she refuses and escapes to the vineyard where she’s always found comfort in. But to her surprise, she finds one gorgeous Tag Barton working there, a man who sets her on fire like no other. And with him, she begins to think that maybe she doesn’t have to marry to further her family’s goals, but rather for the love and passion she’s wished to find in her life.

Tag Barton has been working in the vineyard to care for his ill mother and he lives a completely different life than the one he had when he was in the Special Forces. He’s gorgeous, charming, and a total player, but meeting Weatherly changes everything for him. She’s the one woman who’s managed to gain his attention and keep it, and he wants everything from her, including her heart. But when he’s hiding a secret that could tear them apart, can a relationship between them really work out?

What began as a hideaway became my burial ground. And the man who felt like my biggest blessing had now become my biggest curse.

The moment Tag and Weatherly meet, the connection between them is powerful and visceral. It’s a strong dose of insta-lust for these two – and the two of them are seriously HOT together. Brave Enough is filled with fiery chemistry and sexual tension that M. Leighton excels at writing. And she definitely writes a good alpha in Tag.

I’m a bit disappointed that I couldn’t love this book, because I know if the story and characters were fleshed out more, I would’ve enjoyed it so much. The book was just too short and fast for my taste, so I never really had the time to feel invested in Tag and Weatherly and their romance. And the passion and sex between them overshadowed any developing romance, so their love didn’t really feel all that believable. There was a good amount of angst, which was my favorite part about Brave Enough, but it wasn’t enough to make me like the book more. It’s sweet, sexy, but fairly predictable – overall it’s a good read, but it’s not M. Leighton’s best.

3 hearts
lacey

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

Reading Order: Tall, Dark, and Dangerous series

Strong Enough by M. Leighton Tough Enough by M. Leighton Brave Enough by M. Leighton

#1 ~ Strong Enough: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#2 ~ Tough Enough: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#3 ~ Brave Enough: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads

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Release Day Review: Hardball by C.D. Reiss

Posted in 3.5 hearts, Reviews by

Hardball by C.D. Reiss
Series: Standalone
Publication Date: March 29th 2016
Links: Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads
Source: I received an ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review

Perfect ass.
Perfect arms.
Perfect swagger.
They call Dash Wallace the Diamond King.
He’s the hottest commodity in baseball and in the bedroom.
When he runs the bases, every woman’s eyes are glued to his stunning body and a smile that puts the night lights to shame.
I’m no queen. I’m a regular girl with a regular job. I just watch him on TV and from the bleachers, season after season.
Girls like me grab a guy like that one in a million times.
My number just came up, and he is as spectacular in bed as he is on the field.
But there’s not a woman in the world who can distract Dash Wallace from the game. Not for a moment. Not even me.
Until the night I do. And everything changes.

—–

Hardball is a SMOKING HOT, SEXY romance with a touch of angst and a ton of heart from CD Reiss. It’s a fun, witty, full-length standalone meant for the over-eighteen crowd.

I adore sports romances, but I have to admit, Hardball was a little different than what I expected. Going in, I thought it’d be something light-hearted and fun, like a ton of other sports romances I’ve read, but I should’ve known C.D. Reiss would turn up the heat in Hardball and give it an intensity I wasn’t used to in typical sports romances. It’s fast-paced, sexy as hell, and a very enjoyable read. I didn’t LOVE it – there was something missing in the book that prevented me from fully loving the characters, but I would still recommend Hardball for those who love sports and sexytimes.

Vivian is a school librarian and a huge baseball fan. During a school trip, she meets Dash Wallace, a famous player both on and off the baseball field. Vivian feels that Dash is completely out of her league, but circumstances bring them together and the chemistry and tension between them explodes before they know it. Hardball is seriously HAWT. Dash gets down and dirty with the woman he can’t stop thinking about, and these two are seriously smokin’ in bed. What starts off as a sex-only relationship leads to so much more as they get to know each other, but how can a relationship work out when Dash is the kind of person who doesn’t like change?

“You,” he said. “You threw it all in the fire. Things started collapsing right before you, and when you came, everything went to hell. It’s you. I denied it, because if I let you in, I had to start over. I tried to bend it around to not want you. But I can’t deny it anymore. There’s no center without you.”

Vivian is a sweetheart of a heroine, very down-to-earth and relatable. Being with one of the most famous baseball players ever is like a dream come true for her, but falling for one is so much more daunting. Thankfully, she’s the kind of woman who follows her heart. Dash, on the other hand, is a bit frustrating with his push-and-pull attitude with Vivian. You can see how much he wants her and grows to care for her, but it takes a while for him to fully commit to the idea of a long-lasting relationship. He has vulnerabilities that I didn’t expect, and even though I wasn’t too into him during the first half, I was sold on his character by the end of the book.

“I’m telling myself it’s okay to doubt the purpose of my life. … I thought I’d built something stable, but I didn’t. It was shit, because what we have is forever. It can’t be shut down. I can doubt everything, but I don’t doubt that I love you.”

Fast-paced and sexy would be the perfect words to describe Hardball. There’s seriously never a dull moment in the story, and almost every scene is filled with tension. C.D. Reiss wrote the perfect balance of reality and fairytale in Hardball, and I really did enjoy it. It wasn’t perfect, but it’s an entertaining read, and if you love dirty books, I’d recommend this one!

3.5 hearts
lacey

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

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Release Day Review: All Chained Up by Sophie Jordan

Posted in 4 hearts, Reviews by

All Chained Up by Sophie Jordan
Series: Devil’s Rock #1 (full reading order below)
Publication Date: March 29th 2016
Links: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
Source: I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

There are bad boys and then there are the men of Devil’s Rock . . .

Some men come with a built-in warning label. Knox Callaghan is one of them. Danger radiates from every lean, muscled inch of him, and his deep blue eyes seem to see right through to Briar Davis’s most secret fantasies. But there’s one major problem: Briar is a nurse volunteering at the local prison, and Knox is an inmate who should be off-limits in every way.

Knox feels it too—a shocking animal magnetism that drives him to risk his own life to protect Briar’s. Paroled at last, he tries to resist her. She’s too innocent, too sweet, and she has no idea what Knox is capable of. But a single touch can lead to a kiss—and a taste . . . until the only crime is denying what feels so right . . .

“When the prison doors are open, the real dragon will fly out.”—Ho Chi Minh

It’s been a while since I’ve read a good bad boy hero, but Sophie Jordan certainly delivers with Knox Callaghan in All Chained Up. She packs a punch with all the intensity and sexiness in this first book in the Devil’s Rock series. I don’t usually read prison romances, but this one was unputdownable and highly entertaining. I really enjoyed the main characters, and the romance was off-the-charts sexy – I’d definitely recommend All Chained Up for those who want something different than your typical contemporary romance.

She and he were worlds apart, and that’s how it would always be.

Knox Callaghan and his brother have been in prison for eight years now, after being convicted of manslaughter for killing their cousin’s rapist. Knox has become a hardened, ice-cold man in order to survive prison, and his main goal is to ensure he and his brother don’t get into trouble so they can get parole. But a new, gorgeous nurse threatens everything when he can’t stop thinking about her and he finds himself wanting to protect her more than he wants to protect himself.

When Briar Davis volunteers at Devil’s Rock Penitentiary, she has no idea what she’s in for, and she certainly doesn’t expect to notice a sexy, dangerous inmate. She’s cautious and honestly a little of Knox, but the chemistry starts to build as they see each other again and again. After a heroic act leads Knox to be granted parole, Briar sees him in a whole new light. And when these two meet each other again, this time out of prison, the sexual tension between them ignites – you will seriously need a fan when you read this book!

He wanted to be the only man to touch her. It was total caveman of him, but that’s what he was. A fucking caveman that reveled in rocking her staid little world and making her fly apart. She made him want to pound his chest. Christ. Thinking about her that way was making him rock hard.

Sophie Jordan delivers a heart-pounding, sizzling read, full of tension and sexy-times. I honestly couldn’t put this book down! All Chained Up is a fantastic debut to a new series, and what’s great about it besides the fantastic romance is the set-up for the next book. I’m eagerly waiting to get my hands on Hell Breaks Loose – and I’m hoping there will be even more books in the series!

4 hearts
lacey

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

Reading Order: Devil’s Rock series

 

#1 ~ All Chained Up: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#2 ~ Hell Breaks Loose: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads

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