Release Day Review: Goodbye Paradise by Sarina Bowen

Posted in 4.5 hearts, Reviews by Lacey

Goodbye Paradise by Sarina Bowen
Series: Hello Goodbye #1 (full reading order below)
Publication Date: March 21st 2017
Links: Ebook • Goodreads
Source: I received an ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review

Most people called it a cult. But for twenty years, Josh and Caleb called it home.

In Paradise, there is no television. No fast food. Just long hours of farm work and prayer on a dusty Wyoming ranch, and nights in a crowded bunkhouse. The boys of the Compound are kept far from the sinners’ world.

But Joshua doesn’t need temptation to sin. His whole life, he’s wanted his best friend, Caleb. By day they work side by side. Only when Josh closes his eyes at night can they be together the way he craves.

It can never be. And his survival depends on keeping his terrible desires secret.

Caleb has always protected Josh against the worst of the bullying at the Compound. But he has secrets of his own, and a plan to get away — until it all backfires.

Josh finds himself homeless in a world that doesn’t want him. Can Caleb find him in time? And will they find a place of safety, where he can admit to Josh how he really feels?

Warning: Contains a hot male/male romance, copious instances of taking the Lord’s name in vain, and love against the kitchen counter. This book was previously released under the title: In Front of God & Everyone.

I love anything Sarina Bowen writes, but I have to say I think this is the most adorable M/M romance I’ve ever read. I had all the heart eye emojis while reading Josh and Caleb’s lovely, emotional, heartwarming story. I seriously ADORED this book! If you’re looking for a sweet, unique M/M romance, you’ll definitely need to read Goodbye Paradise!

Josh and Caleb grew up in Paradise, and for the past two decades, they’ve been living in this cult, working as laborers and getting few benefits from it. One perk of the job though, is the fact that Josh can be around his best friend Caleb… and he can long for him from afar. No one can know that Josh has got a crush on his best friend, who’s a guy, because they’ll be sure to kick him out of Paradise and leave him homeless. But that day comes sooner than later when the cult finds little use in Josh anymore. But when Caleb escapes so he can stand by Josh’s side, can they possibly start a new life together from practically nothing?

As they make their way to Massachusetts to find a woman named Maggie who left Paradise years ago and made a home for herself, Josh and Caleb are once again side by side, but now out in the open. It’s here that Caleb finally makes his move and shows Josh that it’s okay to love a man, because he loves Josh back. Despite how much Josh tried to keep his feelings hidden, loving Caleb was as easy as breathing and there was nothing that could stop him from being with the man he’s loved for so long.

I reached up, circling him in my arms, pulling him down beside me. “I love you.” I could say that without guilt. Because loving someone wasn’t a sin. Other things… sure. But love could never be a crime.

I absolutely adored everything about Josh and Caleb’s story. The raw and beautiful love they have for each other was so simple and easy… it was everything surrounding them that made their lives difficult. But these two are nothing if not hardworking and persistent, and even before the end of the novel, I knew Caleb and Josh would survive and thrive in their new lives.

Goodbye Paradise brought out ALL the feels and emotions out of me. My heart honestly couldn’t stop overflowing with happiness over Caleb and Josh’s love for each other. They are absolutely perfect for each other – I can’t imagine a sweeter couple than them! I almost wish this book was longer, because I didn’t want to let go of their story. I loved this book – and I can’t wait for more M/M from Sarina Bowen!

“I’m so hard for you right now. That’s never going to change. Whether I’m stupid or smart, and whether you still love me anymore, or not. I never could help loving you. It’s just the way that I’m wired.”

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

Reading Order: Hello Goodbye series

#1 ~ Goodbye Paradise: Ebook • Goodreads
#2 ~ Hello Forever: Goodreads (release date TBA)

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20Mar2017

Release Day Review: Dirty Souls by Karina Halle

Posted in 3 hearts, Reviews by Lacey

Dirty Souls by Karina Halle
Series: Sins Duet #2 (full reading order below)
Publication Date: March 20th 2017
Links: Ebook • Goodreads
Source: I received an ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review

From New York Times bestselling author Karina Halle comes DIRTY SOULS the much-anticipated, nail-biting CONCLUSION to the sexy and thrilling Black Hearts…”

Violet McQueen has always been a sensitive soul. Troubled and misunderstood, she never realized her place in the world, nor her true potential…until she met Vicente Bernal.

From birth, Vicente Bernal has always known his place in the world – he’s been groomed to be a ruthless king. Yet for a man whose soul has become morally bankrupt, it’s only through Violet he’s realizing the worth of someone’s heart.

But at what cost?

With a deadly game set in motion taking them from the stark deserts of California to the steamy jungles of Mexico, Violet and Vicente’s forbidden relationship will be put to the test. Boundaries will be pushed, lines will be crossed and souls will get very, very dirty.

Because how do you choose between blood and love when both might get you killed?

After the slightly disappointing first book in the Sins Duet, I was hoping that Dirty Souls would make up for what I didn’t feel in Black Hearts by actually making me grow invested in Vicente and Violet’s star-crossed romance. It didn’t, BUT I will say it was a hell of a conclusion to the McQueens’ and Bernals’ story. It’s nonstop action and insanely hot, filthy sex. It’s a no-holds-barred kind of read, which I admired. If you loved Black Hearts, you will most likely love Dirty Souls just as much!

I need to figure out how to keep this forever. Her, me, the open desert. I don’t fucking need anything else. I may be young but I know enough that sometimes you don’t need the world. You just need that one person to rule the world with.

Violet and Vicente are on the run from their parents. Violet has found out that her whole life and family has been a lie, and Vicente is trying to protect her from the people who want to harm her – his father and his men. But try as they might to make their world just the two of them, reality comes crashing down and both are taken by Javier to Mexico. Can Vicente and Violet’s love withstand the test of time, or will Javier succeed in breaking the both of them?

I love her with my dark and dangerous heart. I love her with my wicked and dirty soul.
I love her enough to raze the world around me to the very ground, just so we can be together.

I enjoyed Vicente and Violet’s characters more in this sequel, mainly because they didn’t feel as naive as they did in the first book. I loved the way they were around each other, but I have to admit I started skimming the sex scenes when I was deeper in the story because, even though they were hot, they started to feel like filler. Still, Karina Halle knows how to write erotic scenes filled with chemistry, but I just grew a little tired of them when there seemed to be too many scenes of them.

We get a lot more of Ellie and Javier’s POVs in this book. I liked the contrast between them and their children, the fact that their children are what they could have been if it weren’t for the lies. But then the book felt like it was focused too much on the parents’ past and story rather than Violet and Vicente’s, which was what I really wanted. That’s one of the main reasons I couldn’t love this series more, because I really wanted more of the main characters rather than their parents. But it was still nice to see beloved characters again, even if one of them (*cough* Javier) become a little unlikable.

The Sins Duet might not be a favorite of mine from Karina Halle, but it’s a dark, gritty read that had me on the edge of my seat. It was a crazy, intense ride, and while I didn’t love it, I’m still glad to have read it. If you love the author, you should definitely check this series out – especially if you love the Artists Trilogy or Dirty Angels series!

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

Reading Order: Sins Duet series

#1 ~ Black Hearts: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads
#2 ~ Dirty Souls: Ebook • Goodreads

The Sins Duet is a standalone spinoff series of The Artists Trilogy and the Dirty Angels series. Here are the reading orders for both series (which you don’t need to read before starting Black Hearts).

Reading Order: The Artists Trilogy

#0.5 ~ On Every Street: Ebook • Audible • Goodreads
#1 ~ Sins & Needles: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#2 ~ Shooting Scars: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#3 ~ Bold Tricks: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads

Reading Order: Dirty Angels series

#1 ~ Dirty Angels: Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads
#2 ~ Dirty Deeds: Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads
#3 ~ Dirty Promises: Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads

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7Mar2017

Release Day Review: Silence Fallen by Patricia Briggs

Posted in 4.5 hearts, Reviews by Lacey

Silence Fallen by Patricia Briggs
Series: Mercy Thompson #10 (full reading order below)
Publication Date: March 7th 2017
Links: Ebook • Hardcover • Audible • Goodreads
Source: I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

In the #1 New York Times bestselling Mercy Thompson novels, the coyote shapeshifter has found her voice in the werewolf pack. But when Mercy’s bond with the pack—and her mate—is broken, she’ll learn what it truly means to be alone…

Attacked and abducted in her home territory, Mercy finds herself in the clutches of the most powerful vampire in the world, taken as a weapon to use against alpha werewolf Adam and the ruler of the Tri-Cities vampires. In coyote form, Mercy escapes—only to find herself without money, without clothing, and alone in the heart of Europe…

Unable to contact Adam and the rest of the pack, Mercy has allies to find and enemies to fight, and she needs to figure out which is which. Ancient powers stir, and Mercy must be her agile best to avoid causing a war between vampires and werewolves, and between werewolves and werewolves. And in the heart of the ancient city of Prague, old ghosts rise…

Y’all, the Mercy Thompson series is one of my favorite urban fantasy series of all time. Although I have to admit that the Alpha & Omega series is my top fav from Patricia Briggs, there’s nothing like delving back into Mercy and Adam’s story. They were the first I fell in love with from this author, so they’ll always hold a special place in my heart. There’s something different about Silence Fallen compared to the previous books in the series though, and it’s a change I loved – we get more of Adam’s POV! But everything else about this latest installment is classic Mercy Thompson – funny, action-packed, heartwarming, and just plain awesome. This was everything I expected and more from Patricia Briggs!

I tried to reach out to Adam through our mate bond and touched … emptiness. Silence had fallen between us, not the electric, expectant kind. This silence was the emptiness that falls in the dead of night in the middle of a Montana when the world is encased in snow and icy cold, a silence that engulfed my soul and left me alone.

On her way to the market, Mercy gets kidnapped right from underneath her and her pack’s nose. Usually, when this happens (this has happened a couple times – it’s Mercy), she’s able to contact Adam through their mate bond. But this time, outside magic is preventing her from contacting her husband for help. Mercy is used to trouble though, and manages to escape her prison from Europe’s most powerful vampire… only to find out she’s been taken to Italy, and runs for her life.

Adam and his pack are racing against time to catch up to Mercy. With the help of vampires Stefan and Marsilia, his packmate Honey, the goblin king, a witch, and one Matt Smith (not The Doctor), they’re on their way to Europe and Mercy. But they know she’s tough and a survivor, so she’ll be able to stay alive while Adam deals with paranormal politics with Bonarata. Nearly half the book is in Adam’s POV, which made me so happy. I loved getting inside his head and seeing how he deals with the pack and outsiders. And it was lovely to see how much Adam loves and adores his wife and would do anything to protect her. I really hope Patricia Briggs gives us more of Adam’s POV in future books!

“My love,” he said, his voice intent. “You are welcome to all that I am, all that I have. I would destroy the planet for you. I was even diplomatic for you, which was a bigger sacrifice.”

In this novel, we also get to learn more about Mercy’s Coyote heritage, specifically about ghosts. If you thought we knew all there was to know about Mercy, you’d be wrong. She continuously surprises us with the new strengths and powers she possesses. She’s one of my all-time favorite heroines ever – I could read the series for her forever!

If you love urban fantasy and haven’t experienced this series yet, what are you waiting for!? It’s such an incredible, unique world Patricia Briggs has created. The characters are beloved and so entertaining to read about. I seriously enjoyed reading Silence Fallen and can’t wait for the next installment!

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

Reading Order: Mercy Thompson series

#1 ~ Moon Called: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#2 ~ Blood Bound: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#3 ~ Iron Kissed: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#4 ~ Bone Crossed: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#5 ~ Silver Borne: Ebook • Hardcover • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#6 ~ River Marked: Ebook • Hardcover • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#7 ~ Frost Burned: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#8 ~ Night Broken: Ebook • Hardcover • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#9 ~ Fire Touched: My Review • Ebook • Hardcover • Audible • Goodreads
#10 ~ Silence Fallen: Ebook • Hardcover • Audible • Goodreads

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7Mar2017

Release Day Review: Riot by Tillie Cole

Posted in 4 hearts, Reviews by Lacey

Riot by Tillie Cole
Series: Scarred Souls #4 (full reading order below)
Publication Date: March 7th 2017
Links: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
Source: I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

BRUTAL. INTENSE. PASSIONATE. THE WORLD OF THE SCARRED SOULS.

They call me 901. I am a monster, a killer, a champion. In the blood pit I am a god. I have no name, no family, and no identity. When master says fight, I fight…until I am the only one left standing. I have one goal, to fight so well that I am freed. I don’t need friends, I don’t need women. They are weaknesses. I am strong.

Until I see her. She is gorgeous and kind and off-limits to me. She was stolen as a child to be the worst type of slave and now master wants her. What he wants, he gets. With a smile, she melts my brutal heart. I have never wanted anything more.

I need to make a choice. Freedom or Love. I cannot choose wrong.

I hadn’t read a good dark romance in a while, so I was in the perfect mood for it when I started Riot! Tillie Cole writes some great dark romances, with intense alphas and obsessive love, which is what I was expecting to get in this final Scarred Souls novel, and I wasn’t disappointed. This finale is a heart-pounding, dramatic ending to this dark, gritty series that I highly enjoy. Every moment in the series has been leading up to this book. If you’re a fan of Scarred Souls, you’ll definitely want to get your hands on Riot!

“You are the Arziani Pit Bull. You are feared. But to me, you are safety.”

901 is the most powerful fighter, the Master’s champion, of the blood pit. He was taken as an orphan and groomed to be the violent, killing machine that he is now. He is undefeatable and unfallable… until he sees 152, the High Mona who the Master uses for his sick pleasure. 901 has always known that to accept a woman into his heart would mean weakness, but there’s nothing that can stop him from falling for 152 as they embrace each other in this dark, hopeless world.

901 and 152’s story broke my heart. The way they were forced into this life and broken down… it’s awful. But despite it all, they both manage to find light in each other. Their romance grew slowly and beautifully (if a bit cheesy at times), and it was the light that balanced out the darkness of this blood pit underworld. But is there a way for these two to escape this broken world? Or will they forever be owned by the Master?

“Inessa and Ilya. Ilya and Inessa . . . more than just our numbers.”

Riot might not be my favorite of the Scarred Souls series (that belongs to Raze), but it’s definitely a fantastic conclusion that fans of the series shouldn’t miss. The build-up to the climax of the story was so well done – I loved it! All of the Scarred Souls characters have been through hell and back, and I’m so happy with the ending that they all get in this novel. The whole story is action-packed, suspenseful, and crazy intense – basically everything you expect in a Tillie Cole dark romance. The heroes are over-the-top alphas, the heroines are the perfect balance to them, the world is unabashedly violent and intense. If you haven’t read one of her dark romances yet, you haven’t experienced the genre!

“Inessa,” he said in a husky voice, “without you here with me, I’d rather be dead. With you in my heart, and me in yours, I am alive.”

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

Reading Order: Scarred Souls series

#1 ~ Raze: My Review • Ebook • Audible • Goodreads
#2 ~ Reap: My Review • Ebook • Audible • Goodreads
#3 ~ Ravage: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#4 ~ Riot: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#1-2 ~ Scarred Souls: Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads

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28Feb2017

Release Blitz + ARC Review & Giveaway: Checkmate: This is Reckless by Kennedy Fox

Posted in 3.5 hearts, Giveaways, Reviews, Spotlight by Lacey

Happy release day to Kennedy Fox – Checkmate: This is Reckless is live!

Checkmate: This is Reckless by Kennedy Fox
Series: Checkmate Duet #3 (full reading order below)
Publication Date: February 28th 2017

Drew Fisher is the type of guy every girl wants.
Noble police officer by day, charming prince by night.
He has no idea the effect he has on women, especially me–his little sister’s best friend.
I’m the blonde Southern belle who lives up to the cliché, except I have my own quirks. I’m smart as a whip, can change my own oil, and recite The Pledge of Allegiance backward, but he doesn’t see that girl.

It’d be easier to forget him if he wasn’t my roommate and if the first thing I saw in the morning wasn’t his shirtless body covered in tattoos. I’ve crushed on him since the day we met, but he’s made it perfectly clear where we stand. Just friends.

I know I need to move on and accept that his feelings will never be mutual, but every day he smiles at me, I’m left dreaming of what if.
He has girl issues, and I’ve got a crush I can’t deny.
We’re friends, but I want more.

One drunken hookup leaves us with much more than a platonic friendship. Pretending it never happened proves to be more difficult than anticipated.

A crazy ex-girlfriend, a dangerous war of stolen glances, and passionate kisses leads to the most reckless battle yet. I won’t be a pawn in his game, but I’ll play by his rules if it will show him I’m the one worth breaking them for.

Checkmate, Prince Charming.

Buy Links:
Amazon • iTunes • Kobo

It seems as if I love every single trope, but seriously, friends-to-lovers gets me every time. There’s always something so genuine and sweet about these kinds of romances! So Drew and Courtney’s story in this new Checkmate Duet was totally my thing – I definitely enjoyed it more than the previous duet about Viola and Travis. It was a lot less cheesy dramatic and thankfully we don’t have a manwhore hero this time… just an annoying, manipulating ex. Fans of Kennedy Fox will most likely enjoy Drewtney as much as Traviola, only instead of enemies-to-lovers, we have friends-to-lovers!

Courtney is Drew’s little sister’s best friend, they’re roommates, she has a tiny crush on him, he has a girlfriend who’s a major bitch… but it’s all good, right? For the past few years, Courtney has been totally fine with being one of Drew’s best friends. She wouldn’t mind if he ended his toxic relationship with his awful girlfriend, but for now she’s been waiting on the sidelines for her chance with him, which finally comes when Drew sees Mia exactly for the lying, cheating, manipulating person that she is.

“God, Court…where have you been all of my life?”
She pulls back and looks up at me. I run my fingers through her wet hair and rest my palm against her cheek. Moving in closer, she speaks against my lips before I can kiss her. “I’ve been waiting for you.”

Drew and Courtney are fun and sweet together – Drew finally realizes how perfect they are once Mia is out of the picture. They’re flirty, have great chemistry, and fall fast and hard for each other. But what happens when Mia doesn’t stay out of the picture and is out to ruin Drew’s newfound love?

I loved Courtney. She’s my favorite kind of heroine – tough, feisty, able to hold her own, and unapologetic. She’s the perfect balance for Drew, who is more calm and steady. I enjoyed the way their relationship grew in this first part of their story – it gets cheesy and predictable, but the romance itself is still enjoyable. I’m not the biggest fan of Kennedy Fox’s writing in this series – it’s a little too simple and boring for my taste, but it’s nothing unbearable and I do feel like the author duo improved since their first book. This might not be the best friends-to-lovers romance I’ve ever read, but it’s an easy story to get sucked into. I’m excited to see what happens in Drewtney’s sequel – after that slightly predictable cliffhanger, I need more!

“I’ll never stop wanting you, Courtney. You’ve completely stolen my heart, and for the first time, I don’t want it back. It’s yours.”

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

Reading Order: Checkmate Duet series

#1 ~ This is War: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#2 ~ This is Love: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#3 ~ This is Reckless: Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads
#4 ~ This is Effortless: Ebook • Goodreads (April 25, 2017)

Kennedy Fox is a duo of bestselling authors who share a love of You’ve Got Mail and The Holiday. When they aren’t bonding over romantic comedies, they like to brainstorm new book ideas. One day, they decided to collaborate together under a pseudonym and have some fun creating new characters that’ll make your lady bits tingle and your heart melt. If you enjoy romance stories with sexy, tattooed alpha males and smart, independent women, then a Kennedy Fox book is for you!

Website • Facebook • Twitter • Instagram • Newsletter

$25 amazon gift card + signed paperback of Checkmate: This is Reckless

ENTER HERE

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