The Darkest Captive by Gena Showalter - Review and Excerpt

 

The demon possessed beast wants his beauty back, and he’ll do anything to win her. Even war with a god king.

From New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author Gena Showalter, comes THE DARKEST CAPTIVE, a new novella in her addictive bestselling Lords of the Underworld Series, brought to you by 1,001 Dark Nights! Be sure to grab your copy today

 

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Book Description:

From New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Gena Showalter comes a new story in her Lords of the Underworld series…

For centuries, Galen the Treacherous has been the most hated immortal in the Underworld. With good reason! This bad boy of bad boys has lied, stolen, cheated and killed with abandon. Possessed by the demons of Jealousy and False Hope, he has always lived for a single purpose: destroy everything.

Then he met her.

Former demon turned human femme fatale — Legion Honey — sought to kill Galen, but ended up parting with her virginity instead. Afraid of their sizzling connection, she ran away…and ended up trapped in hell, tortured and abused in the worst of ways. Now she’s free, and a shell of herself, afraid of her own shadow.

Galen’s hunger for Legion has only grown. Now the warrior with nothing to lose must help her rekindle the fire that once burned inside her. But as desires blaze white-hot, will Legion run again? Or will the unlikely pair succumb to love at long last?

 

Grab your copy of THE DARKEST CAPTIVE today!

My Review:

I had so much fun reading his one from Gena Showalter. First thing you need to know is that The Lords of the Underworld is one of my all time favorite Paranormal Romance series, but I will be super honest I was worried going into this one with Galen and Legion. One, Galen has been the biggest jerk and two, Legion goes through something completely horrific. I didn't know how I was going to stomach it. Also, Legion was a bit of a weird one for me. She has had a pretty darn hard go of it ever since her introduction. She actually was a lot like Galen in that she caused a lot of strife and set herself up to bot be very liked. I was honestly scared, I couldn't figure out how Gena was going to pull it off in a novella and not a full length story. There is so much that has happened to these two, by these two, and between these two, that a novella couldn't possibly get there, but guess what it did.

As always there isn't a lot I can tell you about a 1,001 Dark Nights Novella because so much happens in so little time, but know that this book is chock full of story. The back story is there, the character development is there, the reasonings, the understanding, the romance. It is all there and the most loyal fans will walk away pleased and new fans to the series will walk away completely hooked. Don't be afraid to dive into this one because you think you can't possibly get the story these two deserve. We get it and so much more...hello next book, I can't wait to meet you!

Make sure this one is on your TBR you don't want to miss it, it is an exciting and emotional wrap up for one couple and a fiery beginning for the next!

~ HAPPY READING ~

   

Excerpt:

He teed up Aeron’s number and texted: Just a head’s up. I’ve got my girl. She’s well thanks to me. Hades would have let her get jacked. You’re welcome.

Aeron’s response came in minutes: H told me you saved her. For that, you do have my thanks. But you’re going to have internal body bling if you don’t return her to me ASAP.

Galen: Give me a minute to find the fucks I give…

Galen: Still searching…

Galen: Sorry. Can’t find a single one.

Aeron: I love her, and I want what’s best for her, even if I must pay for her happiness w/ my life. Can you say the same?

Galen responded with a gif he’d made for situations like this. In it, he made a lewd hand gesture while the words “Look what I gave your mother last night” flashed in the center.

Then he typed: Listen, Dr. Usuc Atfilosofee. I didn’t see you braving H’s wards to help L escape that bloodthirsty army. (Drop mic.) (Pick mic back up.) She’s safe, ok. And I CAN say the same. I DID protect her with my life. So be a good daddy and let your daughter spread my wings. Over and out, mo-fo.

He returned the cell phone to the nightstand. 

Legion gave a violent shake of her head and released another choking sound. “No. Please, no.”

He could imagine what images plagued her nightmares.

Uncaring about the flare of pain, he leaped off the bed to crouch in front of her chair. He lightly caressed her jaw, then lifted her hand to his face, holding her palm against his cheek. “I’m here, sugar.” His raw throat turned the words to smoke. 

A few months ago, Galen had made a deal with Hades. Every time Galen completed a task for the underworld’s top dog, he earned a reward. All he’d wanted? The demons who’d hurt Legion. He’d tortured and killed every one of the bastards but Lucifer.

“No. Please, no. Don’t!” Eyes rolling behind her lids, Legion panted and groaned. Every few seconds, her fingers twitched, as if she tried to deflect a blow. “No!”

He ground his teeth. One day, one day soon, this beauty would rest in the comfort and security of his arms. Fear would lose its hold on her, and contentment would become her constant companion. I’ll make sure of it.

“I won’t let anything happen to you,” he vowed. “Not now, not ever.”

She melted into the chair, a soft sigh leaving her. Pride suffused him. For once, he’d comforted rather than frightened her.

 

    

 

About Gena Showalter: Gena Showalter is the New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author of the spellbinding Lords of the Underworld series, two young adult series–Everlife and the White Rabbit Chronicles–and the highly addictive Original Heartbreakers series. In addition to being a National Reader’s Choice and two time RITA nominee, her romance novels have appeared in Cosmopolitan and Seventeen magazine, she’s been mentioned in Orange is the New Black–if you ask her about it, she’ll talk for hours–and her books have been translated in multiple languages. She’s hard at work on her next novel, a tale featuring an alpha male with a dark side and the strong woman who brings him to his knees. You can learn more about Gena, her menagerie of rescue dogs, and all her upcoming books at genashowalter.com    

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Gena Showalter’s THE DARKEST CAPTIVE – Review & Excerpt Tour Schedule:

December 5^th

Booknerd1107 – Review & Excerpt

Diane's Book Blog – Review & Excerpt

Kaidans Seduction – Review & Excerpt

NallaReads – Review & Excerpt

Read more sleep less – Review& Excerpt

Under the Covers Book Blog – Review

December 6^th

Bout-a-Book blog – Review

Busy Bumble Bee Book Reviews – Review

Dirty Girl Romance – Review

Milky Way of Books – Review

Rantings of a Reading Addict – Review & Excerpt

That Transylvanian Chick Book Blog – Review & Excerpt

December 7^th

Binding Addiction – Review & Excerpt

Ilovebooksandstuffblog – Review & Excerpt

Kick Back & Review – Review & Excerpt

Reading in Pajamas – Review & Excerpt

The Romance Rebels – Review & Excerpt

December 8^th

Canadian Book Addict – Review & Excerpt

Dreamer's Book Blog – Review & Excerpt

Family, Books and Food – Excerpt

Lo's Lo-Down on Books – Excerpt

Nerdy Chic – Review & Excerpt

Sip read love – Review

December 9^th

3 Degrees of Fiction – Review

NC 2 DC – Review & Excerpt

I Smell Sheep – Review & Excerpt

Mythical Books – Excerpt

The Book Branch – Excerpt

December 10^th

A Book Nerd, a Bookseller and a Bibliophile – Review & Excerpt

Angela's Opinion – Review & Excerpt

Declarations of a Fangirl – Review & Excerpt

Nerdy Dirty & Flirty – Review & Excerpt

PNR Book Lover Reviews – Review

Rainy Thursdays – Review & Excerpt

December 11^th

Cinta Garcia de la Rosa – Excerpt

Echoing Books – Excerpt

Feel the Book – Excerpt

Ginreads – Review & Excerpt

Romancing the Readers – Review

Smut Book Junkie Book Reviews – Review & Excerpt

December 12^th

Book Lovers Hangout – Review & Excerpt

Cupcakesandbookshelves – Excerpt

Little Shop of Readers – Review & Excerpt

Ms. Me28 – Review & Excerpt

Reading Between the Wines Book Club – Excerpt

Ruby's Books – Review & Excerpt

Shirley Cuypers – Review

December 13^th

All Things Dark & Dirty – Review & Excerpt

Avephoenix Naughty Readings – Excerpt

Book Addict – Excerpt

PBC – Excerpt

Reese's Reviews – Review & Excerpt

Somewhere Lost in Books – Review & Excerpt

December 14^th

Beneath The Covers – Review & Excerpt

Book Nook Nuts – Review & Excerpt

Clare & Lou’s Mad About Books – Review & Excerpt

My Book Filled Life –Review & Excerpt

Reads All the Books – Review & Excerpt

Shahla's World – Review

The Reading Cafe – Review & Excerpt

   

 

Archangel's Prophecy by Nalini Singh - Review

Author: Nalini Singh

Publication Date:  30 October, 2018

Publisher: Berkley

Series:  Guild Hunter, book 11

Genre:  Paranormal/Urban Fantasy Romance

Age Recommendation: 17 and Up

Rating: 4 Stars

Book Description:

Return to New York Times bestselling author Nalini Singh’s darkly passionate Guild Hunter world, where human-turned-angel Elena Deveraux, consort to Archangel Raphael, is thrust center stage into an eons-old prophecy....

Midnight and dawn, Elena’s wings are unique among angelkind…and now they’re failing. The first mortal to be turned into an immortal in angelic memory, she’s regressing. Becoming more and more human. Easier to hurt. Easier to kill.

Elena and Raphael must unearth the reason for the regression before it’s too late and Elena falls out of the sky. Yet even as they fight a furious battle for Elena’s very survival, violent forces are gathering in New York and across the world.

In China, the Archangel Favashi is showing the first signs of madness. In New York, a mysterious sinkhole filled with lava swallows a man whole. In Africa, torrential monsoon rains flood rolling deserts. And in Elena’s mind whispers a haunting voice that isn’t her own.

This time, survival may not be possible…not even for the consort of an archangel.


My Review:

I do love this series, but I have to say it is getting to be a fairly complicated world, not that's not true. It's alway been a complicated world, I am just starting to get lost inside of it. Remembering exactly who is who is becoming more and more challenging.

Archangel's Prophecy through me for a little bit of a loop because I feel like it completely left me in limbo. Some major things have happened but we have no true understanding of the hows and the whys. The Cascade is running rampant and turning this world of angels, vampires, and mortals upside down. It's honestly a bit of a scary reflection of our world today, or at least how I can say I feel here in the U.S. We're surrounded by chaos and turmoil, never knowing what will be coming at us next or if our leaders are or will stay sane. There is something in the air, in the ground that isn't right and it's changing the world around us in unexplainable ways.

As always I adore the characters in this series. Raphael and Elena will always be a favorite couple of mine, heck characters in general. 'BlueBell', oh 'BlueBell', I can't wait for your story. And sweet Jessamy and Galen...oh my heart, what is going to happen? I know I talk about how hard it is getting to follow along and remember the details of every character, but I will say that I am not looking forward to the day that we have conclusion. I will miss these characters with all my heart.

I know, I know, maybe I am looking too deeply and searching for something in this book to help understand our world in their world, but it truly feels like Nalini is, of course with a lot of imagination, that she sees everything, that it is happening around her too and that confusion and fear we are feeling is the same confusion and fear even the mighty Raphael is feeling too. We are not alone, and neither are Raphael or Elena.

If you are a fan of this series, you need to read this, because every thing is changing. If you have not started this series, don't start here. This is truly a series I feel like you must read from book one on. I know it sees daunting, this is book 11 after all (and doesn't include the novellas) but I think you will be lost. You won't be totally lost, but there is no true explanation of what is happening in this world, you have to have a basic understanding of who Raphael and Elena are and all the challenges that have come before now. Every book is an adventure and while some books focus on other characters and their romances, each books storyline leads us through adventures that have built upon the one that came before it.

I listened to this on audio, and love the way that the narrator of this series, Justine Eyre, 'reads' these books. She is so good at switching between the characters voices and it is easy to know exactly who she is voicing even if we aren't told. She has a distinct voice for each person and I can't imagine them sounding like anyone else. It is fun to be able to hear their individual accents as well...I mean who would have guessed Illium would have the voice that she gives him, but honestly it is perfect. It is a sweet voice, almost child like, (and considering he is considered a bit of a baby angel, it fits so well) and full of lightness and heart. Raphael a deep commanding voice, Jason, a quiet mysterious voice...honestly she just nails each one perfectly! So if you are an audio 'reader' I highly recommend this series as a must listen! <3

~ HAPPY READING ~

About Nalini Singh:

I've been writing as long as I can remember and all of my stories always held a thread of romance (even when I was writing about a prince who could shoot lasers out of his eyes). I love creating unique characters, love giving them happy endings and I even love the voices in my head. There's no other job I would rather be doing. In September 2002, when I got the call that Silhouette Desire wanted to buy my first book, Desert Warrior, it was a dream come true. I hope to continue living the dream until I keel over of old age on my keyboard.

I was born in Fiji and raised in New Zealand. I also spent three years living and working in Japan, during which time I took the chance to travel around Asia. I’m back in New Zealand now, but I’m always plotting new trips. If you’d like to see some of my travel snapshots, have a look at the Travel Diary page (updated every month).

So far, I've worked as a lawyer, a librarian, a candy factory general hand, a bank temp and an English teacher and not necessarily in that order. Some might call that inconsistency but I call it grist for the writer's mill.

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Royally Yours by Emma Chase - Release Day

   

 

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Book Description:

Princess Lenora Celeste Beatrice Arabella Pembrook had an unusual childhood. She was raised to be a Queen—the first Queen of Wessco. It’s a big deal. When she’s crowned at just nineteen, the beautiful young monarch is prepared to rule. She’s charming, clever, confident and cunning. What she isn’t…is married. It’s her advising council’s first priority. It’s what Parliament is demanding, and what her people want. Lenora has no desire to tie herself to a man—particularly one who only wants her for her crown. But compromises must be made and royals must do their duty. Even Queens. Especially them. ** Years ago, Edward Langdon Richard Dorian Rourke, walked away from his title and country. Now he’s an adventurer—climbing mountains, exploring jungles, going wherever he wants, when he wants—until family devotion brings him home. And a sacred promise keeps him there. To Edward, the haughty, guarded little Queen is intriguing, infuriating…and utterly captivating. Wanting her just might drive him mad—or become his greatest adventure. ** Within the cold, stone walls of the royal palace—mistrust threatens, wills clash, and an undeniable, passionate love will change the future of the monarchy forever. Every dynasty has a beginning. Every legend starts with a story. This is theirs.    

     

           

 Emma Chase is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the hot and hilarious Tangled series and The Legal Briefs series. Emma lives in New Jersey with her husband, two children and two naughty (but really cute) dogs. She has a long-standing love/hate relationship with caffeine. 

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Blood Cure by K.A. Linde - Release Day

 

 

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Book Description:

The stunning conclusion to the Blood Type series finds the world in chaos and turmoil with one final battle left to determine who will survive—humans or vampires. She had the world on her shoulders. Now she has nothing. Reyna Carpenter was twenty-one when she became a live-in blood escort for the ruthless and darkly handsome vampire Beckham Anderson. She thought this was just a small price to pay for feeding her brothers back home. But nothing went as planned. Not even her tumultuous relationship with Beckham. And now she wonders if anything will ever be the same again. As she finds herself in the midst of a losing rebellion, she and her trusted friends must flee from a city conquered by the vampire elite. With their plans blown to pieces and everything they knew and loved gone, their future hangs in the balance. Despite all she has lost, Reyna must rise from the ashes, reclaim the life that was stolen—and complete her mission, once and for all. 

     

             

 

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Book Description:

A startling new vision of paranormal romance: When a human ventures into the world of vampires—a decadent milieu of blood-bonds and betrayal—she discovers that not all is what it seems. 

 For Reyna Carpenter, giving up her body isn’t a choice. It’s survival. In a civilization laid waste by poverty and desperation, Reyna accepts a high-paying position with the wealthy and hungry vampire elite. Her new job is as the live-in blood escort for the intimidating, demanding, and devilishly handsome Beckham Anderson. He’s everything she expected from a vampire, except for one thing—he won’t feed off her. Reyna soon discovers that behind Beckham’s brooding, wicked façade lies a unique and complex man. And that, in a dark and divided world, she is more valuable than she ever would have believed. For with each passing night, Reyna can’t shake the sensation that it’s Beckham who’s afraid of her.

Note: Reyna and Beckham’s story continues in Blood Match.

 

   

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Book Description:

As the provocative, sensual Blood Type series continues, the rare bond between Reyna and Beckham is threatened by betrayal, greed, and twisted secrets. A desperate human. A powerful vampire. A world divided. Reyna Carpenter was promised paradise. She was delivered into hell. Giving up her body for money was supposed to be the hardest part of becoming a blood escort. She never expected to lose her heart to her dark, enigmatic boss, Beckham Anderson. After being taken by a depraved captor who plans to rule the world, Reyna will do anything to return to Beckham. She just has to find the will to survive this game. From the pawn, rises a queen. Note: Reyna and Beckham’s story begins in Blood Type and continues in Blood Cure.    

       

K.A. Linde is the USA Today bestselling author of more than fifteen novels including the Avoiding series and the Record series. She has a Masters degree in political science from the University of Georgia, was the head campaign worker for the 2012 presidential campaign at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and served as the head coach of the Duke University dance team. She loves reading fantasy novels, geeking out over Star Wars, binge-watching Supernatural, and dancing in her spare time. She currently lives in Lubbock, Texas, with her husband and two super adorable puppies.

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The Prince by Jennifer L. Armentrout - Release Day

 

From #1 New York Times Bestselling author Jennifer L. Armentrout, comes THE PRINCE, a new novella in her Wicked Series, brought to you by 1,001 Dark Nights! 

Be sure to grab your copy today!

 

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Book Description:

From #1 New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Jennifer L. Armentrout comes a new story in her Wicked series…

She’s everything he wants….

Cold. Heartless. Deadly. Whispers of his name alone bring fear to fae and mortals alike. The Prince. There is nothing in the mortal world more dangerous than him. Haunted by a past he couldn’t control, all Caden desires is revenge against those who’d wronged him, trapping him in never-ending nightmare. And there is one person he knows can help him.

She’s everything he can’t have…

Raised within the Order, Brighton Jussier knows just how dangerous the Prince is, reformed or not. She’d seen firsthand what atrocities he could be capable of. The last thing she wants to do is help him, but he leaves her little choice. Forced to work alongside him, she begins to see the man under the bitter ice. Yearning for him feels like the definition of insanity, but there’s no denying the heat in his touch and the wicked promise is his stare.

She’s everything he’ll take….

But there’s someone out there who wants to return the Prince to his former self. A walking, breathing nightmare that is hell bent on destroying the world and everyone close to him. The last thing either of them needs is a distraction, but with the attraction growing between them each now, the one thing he wants more than anything may be the one thing that will be his undoing.

She’s everything he’d die for….

        

  EXCERPT:

 Did it make you a bad friend if you were completely, a hundred percent envious of that friend? Yes? No? Kind of? I figured it was somewhere in between. That’s what I was mulling over as I watched Ivy Morgan brush thick, red curls over her shoulder, laughing at something her boyfriend Ren Owens had said to her. At least I wasn’t envious of that—their love. Okay, well, that wasn’t entirely true. Pretty sure anyone who was as single as me would be envious of all that warm and fuzzy that was passed back and forth with each long look or casual brush of skin. The two could barely tear their gazes away from one another to eat the dinner we’d grabbed at the cute little diner inside the shopping center on Prytania Street. I honest to God couldn’t be happier for them. They’d been through so much—way more than two people should ever have to go through to be together, and here they were, stronger and more in love than ever, and they deserved that happiness. But their epic love story wasn’t the source of a current case of the green-eye monster that was sitting on my shoulder. Ivy was just such a… badass. Even right now, relaxed in the chair, surrounded by twinkling Christmas lights with her hand in Ren’s and her belly full of a cheeseburger deluxe and crinkle fries and half of my tater tots, she could kick ass and take names along with addresses, telephone numbers, and social security numbers. If the proverbial poo hit the fan, you called Ivy or Ren. If you needed to know what streets Royal intersected with, you called… me. Or if you needed coffee or fresh beignets but were currently busy, you know, saving the world, you’d call me. The three of us were all members of the Order, a widespread organization that was literally the only thing that stood between mankind and complete, utter enslavement and destruction by the fae. And not the super cute fae found in Disney movies or some crap like that. Humans thought they were on top of the food chain. They were wrong. The fae were. The only thing pop culture got right about the fae was their slightly pointy ears. That was it. The fae were more than just beings from another world—the Otherworld—they were capable of glamouring their appearance to blend in with humans. But all Order members, even me, were warded at birth against the glamour. We saw through the human façade to the creature that lurked beneath.  

 

   

About Jennifer L. Armentrout: # 1 New York Times, USA Today and international bestselling author Jennifer L. Armentrout lives in Martinsburg, West Virginia. All the rumors you’ve heard about her state aren’t true. When she’s not hard at work writing. she spends her time reading, working out, watching really bad zombie movies, pretending to write, and hanging out with her husband and her Jack Russell Loki. Her dreams of becoming an author started in algebra class, where she spent most of her time writing short stories….which explains her dismal grades in math. Jennifer writes young adult paranormal, science fiction, fantasy, and contemporary romance. She is published with Spencer Hill Press, Entangled Teen and Brazen, Disney/Hyperion and Harlequin Teen. Her book Obsidian has been optioned for a major motion picture and her Covenant Series has been optioned for TV. She also writes adult and New Adult romance under the name J. Lynn. She is published by Entangled Brazen and HarperCollins.  

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Protected by Lexi Blake - Review and Excerpt Tour

    

  

AMAZON ~ AMAZONPB

Coming to other retailers October 29, 2018

Author:  Lexi Blake

Publication Date:  31 July 2018

Publisher: Evil Eye Concepts, INC

Series:  Masters and Mercenaries, book 16.5

Genre:  Contemporary Romance

Age Recommendation: 17 and Up

Rating: 5 stars

~ I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review ~ 

Book Description:

Their first chance at love ended in heartbreak 

Wade Rycroft fell in love with Geneva Harris when she was the smartest girl in his class. The rodeo star and the shy academic made for an odd pair, but their chemistry was undeniable. They made plans to get married after high school. Those plans changed when Genny broke his heart. Joining the Army gave him a chance to leave that life behind. News that Genny married the town’s golden boy let Wade know that he could never go home again. A chance encounter rekindles an old flame Fifteen years later, he’s found his place in the world and tried to forget the woman who left him standing in the rain. After leaving the Army he forged a new life as a bodyguard at McKay-Taggart, but he still feels incomplete. When his brother’s wedding brings him home to Broken Bend, Texas, he walks into a storm of scandal. Genny’s marriage has dissolved, the town has turned against her, and someone is making threats. Seeing her again reawakens feelings he thought were long gone, and he worries that staying close enough to help her could be too much to bear. Their reunion just might kill them both After an attempt is made on Genny’s life, Wade can’t refuse to help her. Watching over her day and night, it’s clear that having her back in his life could be the thing to finally make him whole. When the danger follows them back to Dallas, their second chance at love could be over before it even begins.    

     

My Review:

This book is going to be a little bit hard for me to review. Why you may ask?  Well, because in reading this book I became Big Tag. I am not ready for the changes to come (leaving behind the Masters and Mercenaries series) and yet excited about the future to come.

Protected is a book about second chance love but it is also a book about change and acceptance.   One of those I throughly enjoy, the other makes me a tad bit nervous, ha.  I loved getting to know the two main characters in this story.  We've already met Wade but to know how broken he really was and honestly how much more broken he becomes as each new discovery comes to light for him in this book was an emotional ride.  I truly felt for him.  Of course his pain in the end was nothing compared to what Geneva endured in her attempt to protect the man she was meant to love for a lifetime.  It makes you wonder exactly what you would do for the people you love.  Sidenote:  I have to say like Wade, I am not sure I can ever forgive his brother.  Oh and I adored, ADORED Geneva's son!

As usually happens with a novella there isn't much I can talk about with out giving away the story so I won't delve deep into the plot, but know that it is totally intriguing and page turning.  The character development of these two while most of that happens individually for them before they get together watching their characters grow together was totally swoon worthy and as with any Lexi Blake book the steaminess is just right.  This book doesn't delve as much into the BDSM world as many of her Masters and Mercenaries books but its there and you won't feel as though you are missing out since it isn't as prominent to the storyline.  Out of all the Masters and Mercenaries couples, this one may be the most vanilla of the group and that's just fine.

While you can totally pick this up and read without having read any of the other books in the series, which 1,001 Dark Nights Novellas do so well, I would say that you will be missing out on the little of the heart in this book if you don't know the back story and why Big Tag is feeling the way he does.  So if you are able please give the entire series a go, I know it's a long one, you won't regret it and if this is your first Masters and Mercenaries read, well, welcome to the club, we're happy you've joined us!

~ HAPPY READING ~  

Excerpt:

 “Don’t. Don’t tell me how to feel. I know you’ve worked through this, but I don’t know how to.” “It helps to admit that we were all children back then.” “My mother wasn’t.” He needed to talk about this with her. “No, but she wasn’t the same after your dad died. She was lost and I’ve forgiven her,” she replied quietly. “You can’t spend your life being angry.” “You’re angry with me.” For a moment he thought she would ignore him. Then she turned to him, her eyes shining in the moonlight. “Maybe. It’s hard to figure out how I feel about you. For a long time, I dreamed about you at night. You were the only man I ever loved. Brock killed that. I think he might have killed the part of me that can love someone other than my son. I didn’t feel a lot when my father passed. But then he was the one who told me to suck it up. I went to him after Brock hit me the first time. He told me to not make my husband mad.” “Genny, he should have killed him. I would have. God, I should have.” That sorrow that had been building inside him threatened to spill over. Anger was there, but it was overshadowed by the terrible pain he felt at the thought of her being alone and afraid. “It’s funny,” she said, studying him in the silvery light. “I went over pretty much every possible scenario I could, and this wasn’t the way I thought you would handle it. It’s why it took forever for me to talk to you. I thought you would either not care at all or that you would be so angry you went after everyone. I hesitated because I thought I might unleash a beast.” He could give her this. Since the moment he’d learned the truth, he’d genuinely forced himself to think about how he reacted. It would be selfish to act out in anger when she needed him to be calm, to think about what was best for her. The drive from Broken Bend to Dallas with Ash had made that clear to him. They needed someone who would thoughtfully protect them, not a raging animal who fed his own needs. “You’ve had enough anger in your life. It’s there. God, it’s there, but I swear I won’t act on it because I won’t do anything that could hurt you. I’ll try to handle him in every legal way I can and if I have to take him out, I’ll do it in a way that can never come back on any of us. You don’t need my rage. You do need me though.” “I don’t want to.” “Because you think I’ll let you down again.” It wasn’t a question. “Because I don’t want to love anyone again,” she admitted.

          

NY Times and USA Today bestselling author Lexi Blake lives in North Texas with her husband, three kids, and the laziest rescue dog int eh world. She began writing at a young age, concentrating on plays and journalism. It wasn’t until she started writing romance and urban fantasy that she found the stories of her heart. She likes to find humor in the strangest places and believes in happy endings no matter how odd the couple, threesome, or foursome may seem.

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Dr Strange Beard by Penny Reid - Release Day Launch!

 

Dr. Strange Beard, an all-new standalone in the bestselling, romantic comedy Winston Brothers Series by Wall Street Journal and USA Today bestselling author Penny Reid, is LIVE!

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Book Description:

Hunches, horse races, and heartbreak

Ten years after Simone Payton broke his heart, all Roscoe Winston wants is a doughnut. He’d also like to forget her entirely, but that’s never going to happen. Roscoe Winston remembers everything—every look, every word, every single unrequited second—and the last thing he needs is another memory of Simone.

Unfortunately, after one chance encounter, Simone keeps popping up everywhere he happens to be . . .

Ten years after Roscoe Winston dropped out of her life, all Simone Payton wants is to exploit him. She’d also like some answers from her former best friend about why he ghosted her, but if she never gets those answers, that’s a-okay. Simone let go of the past a long time ago. Seriously, she has. She totally, totally has. She is definitely not still thinking about Roscoe. Nope. She’s more than happy to forget he exists.

But first, she needs just one teeny-tiny favor . . .

Dr. Strange Beard is a full-length romantic comedy novel, can be read as a stand-alone, and is the fifth book in the USA TODAY bestselling Winston Brothers series.

Meet Penny Reid:

Penny Reid is the Wall Street Journal and USA Today Bestselling Author of the Winston Brothers and Knitting in the City series. She used to spend her days writing federal grant proposals as a biomedical researcher, but now she just writes books. She’s also a full time mom to three diminutive adults, wife, daughter, knitter, crocheter, sewer, general crafter, and thought ninja.

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Envy by Rachel Van Dyken - Release Day

 

From New York Times Bestselling author Rachel Van Dyken, comes ENVY, a new novella in her Eagle Elite Series, brought to you by 1,001 Dark Nights! Be sure to grab your copy today!

 

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Book Description:

From New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Rachel Van Dyken comes a new story in her Eagle Elite series…

Every family has rules, the mafia just has more…. Do not speak to the bosses unless spoken to. Do not make eye contact unless you want to die. And above all else, do not fall in love. Renee Cassani’s future is set. Her betrothal is set. Her life, after nannying for the five families for the summer, is set Somebody should have told Vic Colezan that. He’s a man who doesn’t take no for an answer. And he only wants one thing. Her. Somebody should have told Renee that her bodyguard needed as much discipline as the kids she was nannying. Good thing Vic has a firm hand.

   

EXCERPT:

I tried not to judge. It was hard. They were mafia bosses—I got it. Or at least I thought I understood it since I had grown up around it. But my upbringing wasn’t as severe. My dad was a Nicolasi and always kept things quiet around us. It wasn’t until I was twelve that I realized it wasn’t normal for us to make as much money as we did through two jewelry stores and five laundromats. I wrongly assumed that every business owner with a lot of cash drove a bulletproof Mercedes to protect their family. The older I got, the more horrified I became of the life my father lived, the life he forced us to live, and the complete unrest I felt every time I closed my eyes and prayed for him to come home. He was a made man. One of the best in the family, which meant Phoenix trusted him, which in turn meant he trusted me to watch his little boy. And every time Phoenix looked at his phone I wondered if it was my dad texting, if he was alive, if he was okay. He’d been gone for a month. We hadn’t heard from him except for a few “hey, I’m alive” texts. I hated this life. And I wanted out. “Renee.” Nixon leaned down and touched my shoulder. “Are you okay?” I stilled. Remembered not to look directly into his eyes and forced a smile. “I’m just tired, you know how it is.” “Kids do that to a person,” Phoenix piped in, finally sheathing the knives he’d apparently pulled out in the last few seconds that I’d been thinking about my dad. “We need to leave in five.” Nixon stood. I looked away. I had to. It made me sick to my stomach the blood these men had on their hands and the way they so casually talked about killing as if they were discussing the latest episode of This Is Us. I forced a smile at Serena and Junior just as the front door swung open, nearly coming off its hinges. There he stood. My nightmare. Vic Corazon Abandonato. In all his gory glory. Tight black pants. Tight black shirt. Enough guns strapped to him to win an all-out war. And no smile. The man never smiled. It wasn’t in his makeup to smile. The one time he smiled was at Chase, and I think it was just a happy accident because Chase looked as shocked as the rest of the group did. I glanced away, again making sure I wasn’t drawing attention to myself, and fed the kids. Vic was a silent killer. I imagined that people didn’t even know they were dying until they saw the blood running like a river from their chests. I shivered. That’s what assassins for the mafia did. They weren’t made men, they weren’t in line for boss. They did the dirty work-and they took the fall for it. They had one job. Protect the family at all costs. 

      

   


About Rachel Van Dyken: Rachel Van Dyken is the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today bestselling author of regency and contemporary romances. When she’s not writing you can find her drinking coffee at Starbucks and plotting her next book while watching The Bachelor. She keeps her home in Idaho with her Husband, adorable son, and two snoring boxers! She loves to hear from readers!

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Crux Untamed by Tillie Cole - Blog Tour Review

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Author: Tillie Cole

Publication Date:  25 February, 2018

Publisher: Self-Published

Series: Hades Hangmen, book 6

Genre: Dark Contemporary Romance, MC based

Age Recommendation: 18 and Up

Rating: 4 Stars

~ I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review ~ 

Book Description:

ONLY BOUNDLESS LOVE CAN SILENCE THE WHISPERS OF THE PAST . . .

A broken woman.

A damaged man.

A free spirit intent on saving them both.

Elysia ‘Sia’ Willis lives a solitary life. The only person in it is her big brother, Ky, vice-president of the infamous Hades Hangmen. She loves him, but she has absolutely no love for the outlaw MC he belongs to.

Raised in secret by her mother, Sia grew up separated from her brother and distant father. No one knew she even existed.

After the tragic murder of her mother, Sia spiraled into a rebellion against the rules of the Hangmen. A rebellion with dire consequences that now, years later, she still can’t escape.

As she lives once again in secret, happy on her own at her secluded ranch, a devil from her past comes calling. A devil who wants to possess her once again and take her from the simple life she never wants to lose.

And he will stop at nothing to collect what he believes is his: her.

Valan ‘Hush’ Durand and Aubin ‘Cowboy’ Breaux have finally found a home in the mother chapter of the Hangmen. The notoriously private Cajun twosome have, for now, put aside what chased them from their beloved Louisiana. But as threats toward the club build, Hush and Cowboy are given a task—protect Elysia Willis at all costs. Cowboy welcomes the job of watching over the blond-haired, blue-eyed beauty.

Hush fights against it.

Scarred by events from his past and a secret that plagues his everyday life, Hush refuses to let anyone else get close. Only Cowboy knows the real him. Until a certain sister of the club’s VP begins to slowly knock down his defenses, shattering the heavily built walls that guard his damaged soul . . . with his best friend leading the charge.

As lost and open hearts begin to meld, taking each other from indescribable pain to the never-before felt relief of peace, the newly-mended threesome must first endure one more rocky path.

Only then will they finally shake free of the shackles of their pasts.

Only then will they shed the bonds that have for too long held their happiness captive.

And there is only one way to survive that path . . . together.

Dark Contemporary MFM Romance.
 Contains scenes of violence and explicit sexual situations. Over 18’s only.

My Review:

Tillie Cole has done it again, but of course we all knew that she would.  There has been a lot of heated talk around this book with it being an MFM, now lucky for me I have no challenges reading a menage book but it just isn't for everyone.  I think that even if you aren't a menage fan you will enjoy this book.  The romance is beautiful between Hush and Sia, Cowboy and Sia, and Hush and Cowboy. Now, wait...don't freak out on me yet, although I'd have totally be down for that, haha, Hush and Cowboy's romance is not a physical romance, it is a true romance of the heart and I adored their relationship.  In fact I would almost say that I loved their relationship better than I did their relationship with Sia.  There was just a beautiful and unbreakable connection there.  The entire book could have been solely about that (non-physical) relationship and I think I would have been completely happy.  All that said, I loved what Tillie gave us between this triad.  <3

Just when we think life might be settling down a little for the Hades Hangmen, they are thrown back into the fray and on to battle.  The Hangmen aren't good men, but they aren't the bad men either.  They are the gray that protects their community and ultimately everyone else from those men that step over the line.  Sia's story and the reason the Hangmen are back in the thick of things is heart breaking and sadly it isn't a fantasy world that Tillie created in her mind.  People are taken everyday into this underground world of sexual slavery and it's horrifying.  It will tear you up inside to know what Sia goes through, but it is amazing on the other end to see how strong she is and how much love she has left to give considering everything she has gone through.  I loved that she could be the guide that Hush needs while Cowboy is both of their lights.

Speaking of Hush, oh his story breaks my heart.  So much hurt and pain in one person, so much quiet anger and fear.  I loved him.  Out of all the main characters in this story, I truly felt that this was Hush's tale and it is a heartbreaking and beautiful one.  If we are to take nothing else from this story, I hope we will take away one line. A line I am sure you will see written over and over in regards to this book and hopefully it will become a common refrain for every one over time.

"Love doesn't see color, only pure hearts."

The one thing I could have wished for was more of Cowboy.  I feel like while he is an integral part of Hush's story and of Sia's recover, he isn't as much of a focus as I wanted him to be.  Both Sia and Hush have a profound moment of discovery and change but I never got that with Cowboy.  Now maybe that is because he had one of those moments at a young age and so he didn't need another, but with everything that went on between this triad I think he kind of got the shaft (and not not literally) when all was said and done.  

Another thing that bugged me, I hated Ky this book, HATED HIM!  He was the biggest Arse and Ky or someone else needed to take him out to the woodshed and give him a good talking to and a few smacks upside the head.  I disliked him so much in most of this story that even at the end when he comes around I still don't think he is the same man I thought he was before this book was written.  Truly a bummer. 

For fans of this series, this is a must read!  The story is beautiful, moving, heart breaking, and empowering.  The Hangmen's world is I am afraid about to turn it's self on it's head and I am not sure how I feel about that.  I am a little fearful of what is to come.  We met a few new characters that I am dying to get stories for, plus our old favorites like Viking who I hope to see have theirs soon.  This is a great read and a great addition to the Hangmen Series, I hope that you will totally give it a chance!  If you haven't read the series, I think you could actually jump in here without having read the others but I would STRONGLY recommend starting at the beginning just so you have an understanding of the relationships you are about to see.  

~ HAPPY READING ~

I glanced over at Hush sitting beside me in the truck, staring out of the window. I tightened my grip on the wheel and shook my head. I’d known the fucker for years, and I still couldn’t believe how he refused to let anyone in but me. Since Ky had told us we were assigned to watch his baby sister, Hush had closed in on himself, as always. Fucking locked himself inside the head that was a damn fortress to breach. And I knew why, but the stubborn asshole was too proud to admit the truth.

I sighed, turning up the radio. But it took about two seconds for me to get bored. I was a loudmouth, I knew it, and the fucking deathly silence from my best friend was killing me. “You get the stuff I left out for you this morning?” I asked. I knew he had. I watched him pack it, just to be sure. I just wanted to fucking talk. Wanted my friend back to the way he was.

Hush’s shoulders tensed, but then he muttered, “Yeah.”

I sighed in defeat, laying my head back on the headrest. We were about five miles out from where Sia lived: a little ranch, in the middle of fucking nowhere. It reminded me of my childhood home. More rustic and less refined, but a ranch was a ranch.

“At least there’s a gas station close in case I need hard liquor during all this, hey, mon frère?”

Hush grunted, but he kept his head away from me. My fucking chest squeezed when I thought of his face this morning. My brother was dog tired. And I knew that shit wasn’t good for him. His face looked paler than normal, and his blue eyes were dull as fuck.

Set off a shit-ton of warning bells inside my head. He was thinking too much.

It was Sia.

All of this, the moping, the silence, was because of the beautiful bitch driving alone in the truck up ahead. Fuck, I could barely think of her without wanting to wrap my hand in her long hair and pull her to my fucking mouth. Tasting her tongue, her tits pressed up against my chest. I looked at Hush from the side of my eye and knew the brother did too. Since we’d met her at Ky’s wedding, I knew on the spot I liked the bitch. Her damn sassy mouth, the confidence that oozed from her every move.

Her ass wasn’t too bad either.

My lip flicked up in amusement as I thought back to yesterday and the VP’s little “talk” he had with me and Hush . . .

“Shut the fucking door behind you.” Ky stood at the front of church, arms folded. Styx stood on his right, his face like thunder too. Hush was tense as he trailed behind. He shut the door. I slumped down to my seat and threw my hands up behind my head. I made myself real fucking comfortable.

Hush pulled his chair out. I smirked at his ramrod back as he stared at Ky, waiting for our VP to speak.

I brought my lazy gaze back to Ky and had to fight back a grin at how his eyes narrowed on me. “VP,” I said. “You wanted to talk to us?”

“Damn fucking right I did.” Ky leaned his hands on the tabletop, palms flat. “Neither of you are gonna go near Sia except to protect her.” Ky got straight to the point. I felt Hush grow more tense. I didn’t lower my hands from my head. I’d known this was coming.

“You watch her ranch. Take shifts in looking out for any trouble. Not an hour goes by when one of you ain’t looking for that cunt, Garcia. Got it?”

“Got it,” I confirmed, just before Hush said, “Yeah.”

Ky’s eyes locked on me. “She is my fucking sister. Not one of you two assholes touches her in any way, got it?” He quickly sobered, and then said, “She’s been through enough shit at the hands of a man. I ain’t gonna tell you the fucking minute details, but she was fucking ruined by that bastard. Ain’t even had a date since. She’s better on her own.” The cocky smirk I was wearing fell away at that bit of intel. Ky leaned further forward until he was almost at my face. “I will fucking kill anyone who hurts her again. And that ain’t a threat.” His eyebrows drew together. “And it sure as shit ain’t gonna be any of my club brothers. Especially the two sweet-talking Cajuns that have slut pussy creaming over their fucking accents on the daily.”

“Okay, VP,” I said in my thickest Cajun French. Just to see if I could turn Ky’s red face up a few shades more. I saw the guy’s hands roll into fists, but before he could start throwing them my way, Hush put his hand on my arm to tell me to shut the fuck up.

“Ain’t gotta worry about that, mon frère,” he said. “We ain’t going after your sister. We get it. She’s off-limits.”

Ky glared at us. As did Styx. Before Ky left church, he pointed in my face. “You better be listening to your best friend out there, Cowboy. You don’t wanna face me again if I hear you’ve been sniffing around my sister.”

I laughed to myself as I thought of the VP’s veins throbbing in his neck, as if he could read my thoughts about his sister on my face. Hush turned around, his brows pulled down. It was a permanent damn feature these days. “Turn that frown upside down, mon frère,” I instructed and pushed my fingers against his lined forehead.

Hush batted my hand away. “What the fuck are you laughing at?”

“Ky. Yesterday. His fucking tirade. The gris-gris he tried to put on our asses.”

Hush shook his head, exasperated. “We got it good here at the club. Don’t go fucking it up for a piece of pussy.”

I choked on a laugh. “A piece of pussy?” I winked. “Think I’ll tell Sia you said that when we pull up. Sure she wants to hear it.” Hush’s nostrils flared, and his hand went to his thigh and squeezed. It was how he calmed himself down. How I did if I saw it happening before he realized he was losing his shit. Especially in public.

I quickly lost my smile, and I blew out a long breath. “That’s it though, hey Val? She ain’t just any pussy, is she?”

Hush turned to look out of the window again. “She is, Aub. That’s what you can’t seem to get through your fucking thick skull.” He shook his head. “You just won’t let it fucking drop. All the winks and raised eyebrows, the damn tapping of your motherfucking Stetson anytime she’s mentioned or speaks to us. I told you before, and I’ll tell you again: I ain’t interested. Just end your fucking games.” His shoulders tensed. “You want her that bad? Fuck her. You want my written permission or some shit?”

“Fuck you, Hush.” I was a pretty laid-back guy, but him speaking like that raised my forever-dormant rage from a one to a good solid three out of ten. “You want me flying solo on this one, mon frère? It can be arranged.” He sat there, seething. I just let him. Fucking prick was as stubborn as an ox. First thing I ever noticed about him at sixteen years old.

Tillie Cole hails from a small town in the North-East of England. She grew up on a farm with her English mother, Scottish father and older sister and a multitude of rescue animals. As soon as she could, Tillie left her rural roots for the bright lights of the big city.

After graduating from Newcastle University with a BA Hons in Religious Studies, Tillie followed her Professional Rugby player husband around the world for a decade, becoming a teacher in between and thoroughly enjoyed teaching High School students Social Studies before putting pen to paper, and finishing her first novel.

Tillie has now settled in Austin, Texas, where she is finally able to sit down and write, throwing herself into fantasy worlds and the fabulous minds of her characters.

Tillie is both an independent and traditionally published author, and writes many genres including: Contemporary Romance, Dark Romance, Young Adult and New Adult novels.

When she is not writing, Tillie enjoys nothing more than curling up on her couch watching movies, drinking far too much coffee, while convincing herself that she really doesn’t need that extra square of chocolate.

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