Release Day Review: Out of Bounds by R.S. Grey

Out of Bounds by R.S. Grey
Series: The Summer Games #2 (full reading order below)
Publication Date: August 1st 2016
Links: Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads
Source: I received an ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review

I despise Erik Winter.

He’s arrogant and cruel—a man I wouldn’t wish on my worst enemy—and by some twisted turn of fate, he’s my new Olympic gymnastics coach.

I’ve had to contend with gruff coaches in the past, but Erik is far worse. His stern demeanor complements a body built for intimidation, and his reprimands come from a mouth so cunning, I know it could strip me of my defenses—if I let it.

Though each of us would love to be rid of the other forever, we are bound to each other by need and necessity. I’m his rising star, his best shot at proving himself to his critics. And without a coach, I have zero chance of winning gold in Rio.

The easiest way forward would be to wave a white flag and make peace with the man I’ll be sharing close quarters with for the foreseeable future, but he is intent on war.

Fine. By. Me.

If he pushes me, I’ll push back harder. If he wants to test me, to play with my head, I’ll show him just how many boundaries I’m willing to cross. Because I know it’s not a choice between winning or warring—not if you can have them both. At the end of it all, I plan on leaving Rio with gold around my neck and his icy heart in the palm of my hand.

It’s almost time for the 2016 Olympics, and what better way to usher it in than by reading a sports romance about an Olympian? Out of Bounds is R.S. Grey’s HOTTEST book yet – it’s an incredible enemies-to-lovers/forbidden romance between an upcoming gymnastics Olympian and her coach. It’s my second favorite of her books, right after the first Summer Games book. It’s steamy – so, sooo steamy. The lust and hate come so clearly off the pages, it’s mind-blowing. If you don’t like heroes who act like complete asses and heroines who give as good as they get, this probably won’t be the book for you. But if you do love that intense chemistry that comes with hate, you NEED to get your hands on Out of Bounds!

She was fierce; she wanted to be seen, and not just for her gymnastics skills. No, she wanted to be desired. Coveted. Craved. Had anyone ever touched her the way she wanted to be touched? Had anyone ever ripped that bun out and tugged her long hair, tilting her head back to expose the creamy skin of her neck?

Brie Watson needs to win the gold so she can repay her mother for everything she sacrificed for her daughter to become the Olympian she is today. The prize money, the future endorsements, all of it will go into giving her and her mother a better life. So even though her original coach steps down due to health issues and his son takes his place, there’s nothing stopping Brie from giving her all during gymnastics training – not even a beautiful 29-year-old coach she loves to hate.

Erik Winter may not have asked for the position of gymnastics coach to Team USA, but he’s going to do what his father didn’t and lead the team to gold. But from the very first moment Brie steps into his life, it’s antagonism and lust and everything in between. To say Erik and Brie don’t get along would be an understatement – these two LIVE for getting under the other’s skin. They fight, argue, cock-block – if it’ll make the other annoyed, they’ll do it. There’s so much hate between them, but underneath it all is a burning lust, a fiery chemistry that can’t be denied. They want each other bad, no matter how much they hate each other.

But in between grueling practices and training, Brie and Erik get to understand each other on a deeper, more visceral level. They might not like each other, but they KNOW each other. Their connection is powerful and unlike anything they’ve ever experienced – so it’s only inevitable that feelings eventually get involved.

He and I weren’t supposed to fall in love. We’d been at war, fighting and pushing each other because it was a fun distraction, because I liked to get a reaction out of him, and because I just couldn’t help myself. It was the most shocking kind of love I’d ever experienced, the sort that hid itself behind the other edge of the blade—hate. I’d focused so much of my energy on hating Erik that when love appeared out of nowhere, it stole my breath.
I loved Erik.

This book… I couldn’t put it down from the moment I picked it up. Brie and Erik’s tumultuous, crazy hot romance gripped me and wouldn’t let me go. I mentioned this book was the author’s hottest one yet, right? Because the steam in this – holy GOD. The things that happen between Brie and Erik will make your panties melt and make you blush like crazy!

I do wish there was more of the forbidden love aspect of the story. Despite Erik being Brie’s coach, I never really felt like there were any possible consequences with them getting together. Most of everyone surrounding them approved of their relationship, so if they had that more developed dynamic of forbidden romance, this book would’ve been perfect.

“At the end of this, you’re mine.”

I love that R.S. Grey set the Summer Games series during the 2016 Olympics in Rio – this series has seriously gotten me so hyped up about the upcoming competitions! Also, with every book the author writes, her writing improves, and I have to say, I’m so impressed with her ability to create such lust/hate between her main characters. This series is one of the best sports romance series I’ve ever read, and if you love reading that genre, the Summer Games is a must read. Out of Bounds is such an amazing enemies-to-lovers romance. Just a fair warning before you start it though – you are going to be in such lust/hate with Erik right alongside Brie, you’ll need a fan as you read!

4.5 hearts
lacey

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


Reading Order: The Summer Games series

 

#1 ~ Settling the Score: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#2 ~ Out of Bounds: Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads


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Audiobook Review: Where We Belong by J. Daniels

Where We Belong by J. Daniels
Series: Alabama Summer #3.5 (full reading order below)
Audiobook Publication Date: July 27th 2016
Length: 4 hours and 12 minutes
Narrated by: Stella BloomEric Michael Summerer
Links: Audible • EbookPaperback • Goodreads
Source: I received an audiobook in exchange for an honest review

Ben and Mia Kelly can’t seem to catch a break.

Grueling night shift and opposing schedules have left the passionate couple geared up and ready for some much needed alone time. There’s only one thing standing in their way.

Parenthood.

With two curious boys who have mastered the art of cock-blocking roaming the house, Ben and Mia, sexually frustrated beyond reason, quickly resort to surprise sexcapades and naughty little trysts whenever and however they can get them.

Who said anything about keeping things legal?

Assume the position. Things are about to heat up in the south.

So I may have knowingly gone into listening to the Where We Belong audiobook as a standalone, without having read the rest of the Alabama Summer series. It’s probably best to read the series before starting this, but honestly, I enjoyed it entirely as a standalone, and I didn’t feel lost or confused about the characters. For those of you who keep track of the series, Where We Belong is a continuation of Ben and Mia’s story from Where I Belong.

Post-HEA for Mia and Ben isn’t as perfect as they thought it would be – parenthood mainly consists of Mia taking care of their sons, Ben working long night shifts, and neither of them being able to satisfy their needs for one another. Two children make the most amazing cock-blockers, but Ben and Mia are determined to work out some alone time. We follow them along as they get interrupted time and again, but the love they have for each other is just as strong and passionate as it was when they first fell in love.

Where We Belong is such as short and sweet audiobook! It was pure fun to listen to, and it was pretty amusing to see Mia and Ben getting cock-blocked over and over again. Stella Bloom once again nails the part of the heroine’s narration and Eric Michael Summerer does an incredible job of voicing Ben. This is the first time I’ve listened to his narration, but it definitely won’t be my last. And I also may have to go back and check out the previous Alabama Summer series, because I’m so intrigued by the other characters! If you have or haven’t read the series, either way, Where We Belong is the perfect short and steamy listen in audio.

WHERE WE BELONG is now available on Audible: http://amzn.to/2aszIAC

4 hearts
lacey


Reading Order: Alabama Summer series

 
  

#1 ~ Where I Belong: Ebook • Paperback • AudibleGoodreads
#2 ~ All I Want: Ebook • Paperback • AudibleGoodreads
#3 ~ When I Fall: Ebook • Paperback • AudibleGoodreads
#3.5 ~ Where We Belong: EbookPaperbackAudibleGoodreads
#4 ~ What I Need: Goodreads (release date TBA)
#5 ~ Say I’m Yours: Goodreads (release date TBA)

Here’s an audio excerpt from Where We Belong!


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ARC Review: Hell Breaks Loose by Sophie Jordan

Hell Breaks Loose by Sophie Jordan
Series: Devil’s Rock #2 (full reading order below)
Publication Date: July 26th 2016
Links: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
Source: I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

Hell hath no hunger like a man let out of a cage . . .

Shy and awkward, First Daughter Grace Reeves has always done what she’s told. Tired of taking orders, she escapes her security detail for a rare moment of peace. Except her worst nightmare comes to life when a ruthless gang of criminals abducts her. Her only choice is to place her trust in Reid Allister, an escaped convict whose piercing gaze awakens something deep inside her. Reid is nothing like her other captors.

He’s tougher, smarter…and one blistering look from him makes her hotter than any man ever has.

Reid spent years plotting escape and revenge . . .years without a woman in his bed. For this hardened felon, Grace Reeves isn’t just out of his league—she’s from another planet, but that doesn’t stop him from wanting her. Escaping Devil’s Rock was tough, but resisting this woman could be the end of him. For a man with nothing to lose, protecting her . . . claiming her as his own, becomes more necessary than his next breath.

I’d been excited for Hell Breaks Loose since I really enjoyed the first Devil’s Rock book, All Chained Up! While I didn’t like this second book quite as much as the first, it’s still a fairly good suspenseful, action-filled steamy romance. I love the idea of the heroes being ex-convicts – although technically, Reid is still a convict… just an escaped one. 😉

Grace Reeves is the daughter of the President, and her life with her political father has been anything but fun. She has no freedom and no social life – so one day, she decides to escape it all. But she must have terrible luck, because instead of freedom, she finds herself kidnapped and held hostage by a gang.

When Reid Allister escapes prison and is on the run to find his younger brother, the last thing he expects is for his brother and the bad gang he got involved with to have kidnapped the President’s daughter. Prison may have tainted his soul, but Reid would never hurt a woman, and somehow finds himself to be Grace’s protecter, unbeknownst to the gang. They think Reid will be delivering her to their boss, but Reid will make sure that no harm comes to her.

The chemistry between Reid and Grace is definitely my favorite part of the story. From the moment they meet, they feel a connection with each other, despite their reluctance. Grace doesn’t want to fall for her dark and dangerous kidnapper, and Reid doesn’t want to fall for anyone, much less the President’s daughter. But while I liked the passion they have for each other, I did feel that the romance was a bit too Stockholm Syndrome-y for my taste.

One other problem I had with this book was that it was really, really slow. I grew a little bored at times and had to skim to parts with more action or romance. If you have a lot of patience with your romances or you love slow-burn, you’ll probably enjoy this more, but I think I just wasn’t in the mood for something slow when I read Hell Breaks Loose. Nonetheless, I did enjoy some parts of it, and if you were a fan of the first book in the Devil’s Rock series, you’ll probably enjoy this too.

3 hearts
lacey


Reading Order: Devil’s Rock series

 

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


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Release Day Review: To Have and to Hold by Lauren Layne

To Have and to Hold by Lauren Layne

To Have and to Hold by Lauren Layne
Series: The Wedding Belles #1 (full reading order below)
Publication Date: July 26th 2016
Links: EbookPaperback • Goodreads
Source: I received a copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

USA TODAY bestselling author Lauren Layne is the “queen of witty dialogue and sexy scenes” (Rachel Van Dyken)! Now, Sex and the City meets The Wedding Planner in The Wedding Belles, her sizzling brand new contemporary romance series about three ambitious wedding planners who can make any bride’s dream come true…but their own.

Discovering her fiancé is an international conman just moments before they exchange vows devastates celebrity wedding planner Brooke Burke’s business—and breaks her heart. Now a pariah in Los Angeles, she seeks a fresh start in New York City and thinks she’s found it with her first bridal client, a sweet, if slightly spoiled, hotel heiress. Then she meets the uptight businessman who’s holding the purse springs.

Seth Tyler wishes he could write a blank check and be done with his sister’s fancy-pants wedding. Unfortunately, micromanaging the event is his only chance at proving Maya’s fiancé is a liar. Standing directly in his way is the stunning blonde wedding planner whose practiced smiles and sassy comebacks both irritate and arouse him. He needs Brooke’s help. But can he persuade a wedding planner on a comeback mission to unplan a wedding? And more importantly, how will he convince her that the wedding she should be planning…is theirs?

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again – Lauren Layne is my go-to author for fun and flirty contemporary romances. She pretty much never disappoints, and she delivers another winner with To Have and to Hold! This book is the first in the Wedding Belles series, featuring wedding planners who witness not only others’ HEAs, but their own as well. I freaking adored this book, and I have no doubts the series will keep on getting better. If you’re a contemporary romance lover, you have to check this one out! I had so much fun reading it – Seth and Brooke’s way to their HEA is utterly sweet and romantic, with the perfect amount of steam to round it off.

After the wedding fiasco where her con-man groom gets arrested at the altar, Brooke’s wedding planner days in Los Angeles are over. Luckily she gets the chance to start again in NYC with the Wedding Belles, one of the most popular and top-notch wedding planning businesses there is. Her first client is a hotel heiress named Maya – but it’s Maya’s older brother who will prove to be a pain in Brooke’s side. Seth and Brooke get off to a rough start, mainly because Seth is nowhere near agreeable with his sister’s fiancé, so with every meeting there are lusty glares and a simmering tension between the two. Their chemistry is my absolute favorite part of the story – I was seriously hooked onto it and just waiting for when these two characters would finally act on their desires.

Lauren Layne had me glued to the pages as she builds up the romance and tension. Brooke and Seth are two wonderful characters, both strong, independent, yet vulnerable, and I loved reading how they broke down each others’ walls. And there’s also so much going on with Maya’s wedding as well that there’s really never a dull moment in this book. To Have and to Hold is entertaining from start to finish, and with a sweet romance that’s both intense and heartwarming, what’s not to love about it?

If you’re a fan of the author, you won’t want to miss this new series. There are weddings and love and romance and everything that makes for the perfect, sweet summer read. I’m already so excited for the rest of the Wedding Belles series – I have crazy high expectations for the next two books, and I know LL won’t let me down!

4 hearts
lacey


Reading Order: The Wedding Belles series

 To Have and to Hold by Lauren Layne For Better or Worse by Lauren Layne

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


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Audiobook Review: Shattered by You by Nashoda Rose

Shattered by You by Nashoda Rose
Series: Tear Asunder #3 (full reading order below)
Audiobook Publication Date: June 21st 2016
Length: 9 hours and 54 minutes
Narrated by: Stella BloomKas Vadim
Links: Audible • Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads
Source: I received an audiobook in exchange for an honest review

From New York Times and USA Today best-selling author Nashoda Rose comes a full-length friends-to-lovers romance.

What started out as a deal quickly became a friendship that conquered monsters.

I killed, but I escaped hell. Emotionless. Disconnected. Cold. A mannequin. It’s what I’d become in order to survive the years held in captivity. I was able to endure the abuse and devastating loss as long as I remained detached.

But he wouldn’t let me. Crisis, the bass guitarist in my brother’s rock band, Tear Asunder. He’s cocky, rude, a total man-whore. But the rock star has far more beneath the surface of his inked skin, and he’s determined to make me laugh again. He made me a “deal”, but really it was blackmail.

His terms were simple. Until his playful honesty became the building blocks to something unexpected. Something strong enough to pull me from the eye of the storm. Because even though I escaped years of abuse, it didn’t mean I was free.

For mature audiences only – 18+. Listener discretion is advised. Dark elements.

I’m a big fan of the first few Tear Asunder books, so I was excited when I had the chance to listen to the Shattered by You audiobook. It’s also a friends-to-lovers romance, one of my favorite tropes, so this audiobook should’ve been perfect for me. Unfortunately, I didn’t connect with the story or characters like I wish I could’ve, and the narrators were pretty average to me. I’ve listened to Stella Bloom before and loved her narration in Sebring (my review here), but for some reason, her voice just didn’t mesh as Haven. I didn’t love listening to Shattered by You, but I did enjoy some aspects of the story. If you’re a fan of friends-to-lovers and dark, intense reads, you still might enjoy this book!

After being freed from mental and physical hell, Haven might not be a captive anymore, but nowhere near is she free of her demons. She’s back in her twin brother’s life, who thought she was dead, but she’s not the girl she once was. Forced drugs and sexual abuse have turned her into a shell of a woman, and it doesn’t seem possible to become whole again… that is, until she meets Crisis.

Part of Tear Asunder and Haven’s twin’s bandmate, Crisis is the most light-hearted of the guys. He comes off as a jokester and a player, but once he sees Haven, there’s nothing and no one else for him. He’s the only one who doesn’t see her as the broken girl she is, and he stands by her side everyday, not pushing her to heal, but just being there to support her. I loved this part of the story, the build up of Haven and Crisis’s friendship. They grow to mean so much to each other, but while Crisis wants more, he knows Haven isn’t ready yet, but he’ll wait forever if he has to for her.

It took me a long while to finish listening to Shattered by You because I just wasn’t fully invested in the story or characters. I adored the friendship and romance, but it does take a while for anything to happen between the main characters. Stella Bloom and Kas Vadim were good narrators, though not the best. I definitely feel like you should read/listen to the other books in the series before starting this one. If you’re a fan of the series and you’re all caught up, hopefully you’ll enjoy this book more than I did!

SHATTERED BY YOU is now available on Audible: http://amzn.to/29M1Ylg

3 hearts
lacey


Reading Order: Tear Asunder series

 
  

#0.5 ~ With You: My ReviewEbookPaperbackAudibleGoodreads
#1 ~ Torn from You: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • AudibleGoodreads
#2 ~ Overwhelmed by You: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • AudibleGoodreads
#3 ~ Shattered by You: Ebook • Paperback • AudibleGoodreads
#4 ~ Kept from You: Goodreads (Dec. 5, 2016)

Here’s an audio excerpt from Shattered by You!


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