Hmmmm…. Where to begin. Slow and steady is the perfect name for this book because just like the title implies the build up to the pinnacle is just thaHmmmm…. Where to begin. Slow and steady is the perfect name for this book because just like the title implies the build up to the pinnacle is just that – slow and steady. Now granted, I didnt read the first book… Im the self titled Queen-of-reading-series-books-out-of-order but it didnt take me long to figure out what was going on. Greyson (sexy name) was a Navy Seal and he was the commander of a set of troops. They were on an exercise in book one in which his buddy Marcus was killed. Marcus left behind a wife, Finley (my daughter’s bff’s name) who was expecting a daughter who she named… Maple (Maple? really?).
Greyson, of course, has mental issues from his time in the service and he heads out to a strip club one night to drown his sorrows in booze and boobs. Up on the stage is none other than Finley, working the pole trying to support herself and little Maple. Greyson feels guilt… guilt for Marcus’ death and for Finley’s struggles. Finley feels anger toward Greyson and resentment that he is trying to help her. They both feel an undeniable attraction to each other. Will they or wont they give in??
I absolutely LOVE Kendall Ryan. I have read many of her books. They are all good, many of them are great. This one falls in the good category. I really liked the characters. I thought they were well developed, even for a relatively short story. The angsty part of the book worked itself out with relative ease so that was nice, no dragging it out for pages and pages. I loved the interaction between Greyson and Maple, that was adorable. The only real problem I had with the characters themselves was Finley. God, that woman was stubborn. But I cant say that being in her position I wouldnt have been also.
The editing and structure of the book itself was solid, even for an ARC, which I was given and the cover was gorgeous. All in all, I give Slow and Steady by Kendall Ryan a very solid 4**** WickedGoodStars and will recommend it to readers who are looking for a short, steamy read with possibly a military theme.
Merged review:
Hmmmm…. Where to begin. Slow and steady is the perfect name for this book because just like the title implies the build up to the pinnacle is just that – slow and steady. Now granted, I didnt read the first book… Im the self titled Queen-of-reading-series-books-out-of-order but it didnt take me long to figure out what was going on. Greyson (sexy name) was a Navy Seal and he was the commander of a set of troops. They were on an exercise in book one in which his buddy Marcus was killed. Marcus left behind a wife, Finley (my daughter’s bff’s name) who was expecting a daughter who she named… Maple (Maple? really?).
Greyson, of course, has mental issues from his time in the service and he heads out to a strip club one night to drown his sorrows in booze and boobs. Up on the stage is none other than Finley, working the pole trying to support herself and little Maple. Greyson feels guilt… guilt for Marcus’ death and for Finley’s struggles. Finley feels anger toward Greyson and resentment that he is trying to help her. They both feel an undeniable attraction to each other. Will they or wont they give in??
I absolutely LOVE Kendall Ryan. I have read many of her books. They are all good, many of them are great. This one falls in the good category. I really liked the characters. I thought they were well developed, even for a relatively short story. The angsty part of the book worked itself out with relative ease so that was nice, no dragging it out for pages and pages. I loved the interaction between Greyson and Maple, that was adorable. The only real problem I had with the characters themselves was Finley. God, that woman was stubborn. But I cant say that being in her position I wouldnt have been also.
The editing and structure of the book itself was solid, even for an ARC, which I was given and the cover was gorgeous. All in all, I give Slow and Steady by Kendall Ryan a very solid 4**** WickedGoodStars and will recommend it to readers who are looking for a short, steamy read with possibly a military theme....more
Fans of Austin and David have waited for the finale in this trilogy for what seems like... well, Forever (yes, pun intended). But author J.C. Grant dFans of Austin and David have waited for the finale in this trilogy for what seems like... well, Forever (yes, pun intended). But author J.C. Grant definitely poured heart and soul into the final installment and made it worth every day of the wait.
David's obsession with Austin has grown, by leaps and bounds it seems. He is so over the top. Austin loves him and loves the attention, most of the time. But he can be smothering. Very, very smothering. There is no way I could stand this much attention, I dont care who it was from - even The David.
The story started off a little slow, but the signature David and Austin heat was present, right from the first pages. I can see how this book might not be for everyone, with the extreme alpha male David and the ultra hot, super intense sex scenes. It all gets a little out of control at times. But for the die hard J.C. Grant fans and fans of this type of read - oh man, you will love this book and this entire series. (I definitely recommend they be read in order)
Thank you so much J.C. Grant for the wonderful wrap up to this trilogy!...more
I have read so many books from Chelle Bliss and she has always been one of my go to authors when it comes to hot sex, alpha males, dirty talkers, bad I have read so many books from Chelle Bliss and she has always been one of my go to authors when it comes to hot sex, alpha males, dirty talkers, bad boys.. you know what im saying. CB writes her very own brand of naughty. Then along comes Mend. In the prologue, she explains that Mend is different, not her usual brand of book and for various reasons she shelved it, putting off finishing it for a while. I can say in all honesty - WOW, am I glad she finished this book! Beautiful, heartbreaking and breath stealing. Mend is honestly the epitome of second-chance love. Evie and Jack tore me up. Starting with their childhoods and going forward into them being adults, the story swings a bit back and forth with glimpses of what "really happened" until the reader gets the full story and then it finally all comes round. With complex, fully developed characters Jack and Evie, secondaries Renee and Evan and a relatively smoothly flowing story, Mend is an all around 5 star read for me. I loved it! Will definitely recommend. ...more
I knew going into this that it was going to be a dark, disturbing read. I was warned. Very warned. Apparently I didnt listen. I love Tillie Cole. ProbaI knew going into this that it was going to be a dark, disturbing read. I was warned. Very warned. Apparently I didnt listen. I love Tillie Cole. Probably have a borderline unhealthy love for her. I have read ALL of her books. Yes, all of them. Ive met her in person several times. She and her hubs are the absolute sweetest folks on the planet. But this book yall... Not for me. Im so happy to see that so many readers loved it. I just didnt have the stomach to handle it. Ellis and Heathen, Dolly and Rabbit. Two very abused children who grow up to be very disturbed adults. Death and destruction meets Alice in Wonderland. Im not sure what else to say without giving away spoilers but I will continue to read everything from Tillie Cole as she is an amazing author. This book just didnt hit the spot for me. ...more
The end of the Clarkson series is the super highly anticipated love story between Belmont and Sage. For the past three b3.5 stars for Belmont and Sage
The end of the Clarkson series is the super highly anticipated love story between Belmont and Sage. For the past three books, we as readers have been given glimpses into the gentle, emotional giant that is Belmont. He was the outsider, the enigma.. the one I just couldnt get enough of. I wanted, no.. I needed his story. I had to get inside his head. Figure out what exactly made him so very different. The author had given us little hints up to this point, small snippets of things in his life leading to TBTB that clued me in to some of it, but I wasnt at all prepared for what I would find as the story progressed. Both of the main characters have suffered, and that suffering has brought them into a sort of co-dependent relationship with each other. I wont go into any real detail about it due to spoilers. I had a hard time rating this book because how I felt at the beginning, the middle and the end were all very different. I started off strong, probably 4 stars, at least. Then things for me went down pretty fast as Belmont's character went a little off the rails emotionally. Once I started realizing some of his past and got a good feel for what he had been through in his life.. yep, everything went up again. Then I had some issues with Sage. I was conflicted with her character as well. So the middle part was a roller coaster as far as ratings. Then the ending and the epilogue. It. Was. Glorious. 5 stars if there ever was. A perfect round up of the book and the series. LOVED IT.
If 3 stars is "I like it" and 4 stars is "I really like it" im going to have to go with 3.5 stars because im definitely right in the middle.
I would recommend reading this entire series, in order. Its a solid set of stories by one fabulous author!...more
Y'all.. Lani Lynn Vale has crossed into the world of sports romance. *angels sing in the background* This makes me so happy. So very hOHHHHH MYYYYYY!!
Y'all.. Lani Lynn Vale has crossed into the world of sports romance. *angels sing in the background* This makes me so happy. So very happy. Pitch Please is the story of grumpy Hancock "Parts" and Sway. Parts is the MLB player and Sway is the voluptuous trainer for his team. She is also his biggest fan and has been for many years. Probably for me at least, the best thing about this story was the character development. I absolutely loved watching Parts and Sway start off meeting at the field and their relationship grow. LLV has a way of making me as a reader feel like im watching it all unfold in real time. The banter was witty, the jokes were clever and of course the sexy was super steamy! There were some serious times though, that brought in some drama and emotion - not enough to cause angst, but it definitely caught and kept my attention for the period. A great, GREAT beginning to this new series!! Parts has several brothers, including a twin - im hoping that each of the brothers get a story (at least Hannibal) and let's not forget Sway's brother. If not the brothers, then several of the teammates (it IS a sports series after all) because one book in... and im hooked! ...more
Im not really even sure where to begin with this review because this book took my breath away. This series is nothing short of FREAKING AMAZING aWHOA.
Im not really even sure where to begin with this review because this book took my breath away. This series is nothing short of FREAKING AMAZING and with each book LJ Shen just keeps intensifying the stories and the drama, the heat, the sex... just everything about them gets better and better. Eventually my head is going to explode because of these stories, I just know it - in the very best of ways. Ruckus is Dean and Rosie (Baby LeBlanc)'s story and oh yeah, i've been waiting on these two. Dean is a HotHole, like Vicious (from the first story) but he's completely different. Softer and gentler, at least on the outside - and geez, can he talk dirty. I loved it! I wont give away too much, especially for those who havent read the first book or the novella, but Dean dated Rosie's older sister. It wasnt a big deal or true love but its still on the edge of taboo, so to see Dean and Rosie together is drama we all knew was shaping up and coming. The characters are beautifully written and the story was so engaging that I was hooked in from the first pages until it was over. I honestly loved this story and can think of nothing that would improve on it. Great job, LJS - please, please keep these HotHoles stories coming!...more
Sex God is the follow up to Sex Machine and although the books are completely written as stand alones, I read Sex Machine first and it was amazing. I Sex God is the follow up to Sex Machine and although the books are completely written as stand alones, I read Sex Machine first and it was amazing. I think you would enjoy Sex God a lot more if you had the back story with all the characters from SM. Garrett is the Sex God of Marfa, Texas. His best friend is Lauren - they have been bffs since middle school, with the one botched attempt at "intimacy" between them. Garrett has a perfect track record with women as far as one night stand/love em and leave em satisfied goes. That is, except for Lauren. She is the one chink in the armor, the one burr under his saddle that he will never be able to get out of his system. She believes she is flawed and Garrett is out to prove her wrong. I loved Garrett. He was so super sexy and funny. He really was just dazzling. Lauren's character was also wonderful. She was overcoming a hard marriage and divorce, and needed the reassurance from Garrett that only he could offer her. The secondary characters really made this story come alive for me. I loved Lauren's friends and seeing the bit of Blake and Honey from Sex Machine. All the personalities blended together to make an incredible story of friends-to-lovers with a slow burn that erupted into signature Marie Force heat! Great book and im looking forward to the next one!!...more
I can honestly say that The Men of Inked Series from Chelle Bliss is the one series that got me started in the world of blogging so it will always be I can honestly say that The Men of Inked Series from Chelle Bliss is the one series that got me started in the world of blogging so it will always be so near and dear to my heart. Not just the stories but the characters themselves. (Especially you, Mike <3) I feel like I know each and everyone of them personally through reading these books, this crazy Gallo family. Worship Me is a follow up for James and Izzy. Izzy is the little sister of the big Gallo boys but she is a force to be reckoned with. She is feisty and stubborn and from page one, line one of the story it was obvious that absolutely NOTHING had changed since we last saw her and James. This story is set 10 years later and Izzy and James now have 3 children. James is the head of ALFA PI (a different series) and has a big job to do and involves Izzy in the job. There is a lot of drama and action, plenty (and I mean PLENTY) of sexual heat and kinkiness, and of course - the love and hilarity that follows the Gallo family wherever they are. Im so glad that Chelle Bliss decided to write more about James and Izzy and I do hope she continues this series with the rest of the characters and more with the new characters as well!...more
Kilt Me was another short, very hot read from the Real Man series by Jenika Snow. She is an automatic one click author for me - especially with this sKilt Me was another short, very hot read from the Real Man series by Jenika Snow. She is an automatic one click author for me - especially with this series. They are usually just what I am looking for. Quick and dirty, over the top alpha males with naughty minds and even naughtier mouths. I love them! What kept Kilt Me from being a 5 star story for me was honestly the Scottish brogue writing. While I understand Alastair spoke with an accent, I had a very hard time reading the words as they were written. I struggled with it and for me, at least - it took a lot away from the story itself. I did however love the characters of Alastair and Molly and in true JS fashion - it WAS fast and dirty (OH YEAH!!). I really hope this series continues forever - these are some of my favorite books! ...more
Joy Ride from Lauren Blakely was both funny and super sexy adorable. Ive been really looking forward to Max's story since we met him as Chase's brotheJoy Ride from Lauren Blakely was both funny and super sexy adorable. Ive been really looking forward to Max's story since we met him as Chase's brother (and also Mia's) in Full Package. Max is the gear head, car-builder who is making serious bank from building sweet rides for ultra rich famous people.
Henley is his one-time apprentice, who he fired btw... shes just as talented with a vehicle as she is beautiful and now shes threatening not only Max's livelihood but his heart as well.
I love these stand alone romantic comedies from Lauren Blakely. A lot of it has to do with the fact that they are written from the guy's point of view and that to me just pushes them over the top. LB can write a man's perspective better than 90% of the male authors I read. Its just amazing! The main characters Max and Henley are both extremely well developed in Joy Ride. I fell in love with Max. He was so sexy and yet had such a sweet, almost sensitive side at the same time. The story itself was unique (I havent read much about car building and restoration), I enjoyed the enemies-to-lover bit and the quirky, witty humor within the dialogue between Max and Henley was very smart and enjoyable!
Super good book all around LB! I really enjoyed Joy Ride! Definitely will recommend this one. :)...more
Here's the deal. Was this a literary masterpiece? No. Was it a smokin' hot, too good to be true, just INSANELY dirty little book that is now on my re-rHere's the deal. Was this a literary masterpiece? No. Was it a smokin' hot, too good to be true, just INSANELY dirty little book that is now on my re-read shelf? YEAH BABY! I mean... Tyler Halligan's pecs, abs AND butt are on the cover. 'nuff said, amiright? Here is what I liked about Stepbrother Anonymous. It was short, dirty and signature Aria Cole. I read a lot of her work and when you just want a quick, naughty read - she comes through every time. The hero Hudson was tattooed and pierced and such an over-the-top yummy dirty talker that from the get-go I was smitten with his character. Skylar, his shiny new stepsister is not at all what he expected when he took her home the night before. But nothing gets in Hudson's way. Oh yeah. Skylar is a little bold and sassy but Hudson was the one who really sealed the deal for me. If you are looking for slow burn or romantic lovemaking, this is definitely not the book for you. But if something naughty is what you are into, look no further. Stepbrother Anonymous has just the thing you need. ...more
Son of a Beard is the third installment in The Dixie Wardens Rejects MC series by my beloved Lani Lynn Vale and it follows Beard Mode and Fear The BeaSon of a Beard is the third installment in The Dixie Wardens Rejects MC series by my beloved Lani Lynn Vale and it follows Beard Mode and Fear The Beard. It can be read as a stand alone, but with books this good - dont bother. Trust me. Just read them all. You'll be glad you did. The characters themselves were great, Truth was stoic and honest, he has been through a lot in his life - its made him a very hardened man and it was wonderful to see he still had a sense of humor. I also loved the fact that he could appreciate a curvy woman. Verity was every woman I know basically, including myself. Open mouth, unfiltered thoughts roll out. She kept me laughing and sighing at her craziness. The two of them getting to know each other was sexy and comedic at the same time. And of course, LLV threw in a good dose of drama and danger to keep us readers on the edge of our seats. I wont give away any spoilers for Son of a Beard but there were some things that happened within the story that made it less than a 5 star read for me. And that's perfectly ok. At times I felt like it was just a little over the top with the story as far as being realistic, and while I know its a fiction book - realistic is just something ive grown to expect from this author. It certainly wont keep me from highly anticipating the rest of this series and any more works from LLV or from recommending Son of a Beard to others. Like I said, it was minor and something that might only have been noticable only to me. 3.75*** WickedGoodStars ...more
Complete Meltdown in 3..2..1… OH THE FEELS!! Heather M. Orgeron can totally write a book that goes so far from one end of the spectrum to the other thatComplete Meltdown in 3..2..1… OH THE FEELS!! Heather M. Orgeron can totally write a book that goes so far from one end of the spectrum to the other that you can’t even see where she started. Dont believe me? Read Boomerangers. Its hilarious, emotional, gripping and oh.. so damn sexy you will turn your back on real life for just long enough to sink in and be a part of the story. Watch as Spencer and Cooper come to life around you. Spencer with her three boys, Cooper with his cocky, unrelenting attitude. Throw in a perfectly developed cast of secondary characters and a heaping load of sexy times and you’ve got the recipe for nothing short of a 5 star read. I smiled and laughed from beginning to end. Im not going to give anything away as far as the story or spoilers, but it was amazing. Sexy, funny, second chance romance. I loved it!! ...more
NO SPOILERS! Tillie Cole took us back to where it all began in the Hades Hangmen series with Styx and Mae. Be still my heart with this book! Wow... JusNO SPOILERS! Tillie Cole took us back to where it all began in the Hades Hangmen series with Styx and Mae. Be still my heart with this book! Wow... Just wow. It was beautiful and perfect and all the five star feels in the world can't begin to describe this little novella. It took me just under two hours to read the entire thing as its just about a short period in their lives but its super intense as are all the books. Its not a cliff hanger or a continuation of the 5th book but it MUST be read AFTER Damnable Grace due to some things.. trust me. This series is mind blowing. Start with Styx, go in order. Fall in love. Boom. 5***** WickedGoodStars...more
The Player from K. Bromberg is the first book in a duet that I have been anxiously awaiting. Because... KB and BASEBALL!!
This is the story of Easton The Player from K. Bromberg is the first book in a duet that I have been anxiously awaiting. Because... KB and BASEBALL!!
This is the story of Easton (perfect baseball name, btw) and Scout who are both living in the shadows of their dads. Easton is an uber talented ball player and Scout is the therapist assigned to him and his team. Rather predictably, Easton is injured and Scout is the one who has to rehab him back into shape within a certain amount of time for Easton to be able to play again. If you have never encountered physical therapy or physical rehab before, its extremely hands on. Touching, rubbing, two people all over each other. Very close and lots of skin-to-skin contact. Nice ;)
What was not predictable was the characters themselves. I loved both of them, probably equally, and thats unusual.. but in The Player, Easton was the one who was never questioning, never wavering. He was laser focused and intense. Maybe thats the athlete in him? But it was sexy AF. Scout was tough, feisty but still vulnerable. I loved that about her. It was like she was sitting on go, ready to run at any moment.
The book had just enough emotion to keep my feelings tied up and KB certainly packed in the heat with this one! It was great and im definitely looking forward to the second book, The Catch.
These Real Man series books that Jenika Snow keeps blessing us with are just perfect for a quick, hot, weekend read and Brutal was NOOO exception. *clThese Real Man series books that Jenika Snow keeps blessing us with are just perfect for a quick, hot, weekend read and Brutal was NOOO exception. *clever wink*
Axel and Roxie are best friends and have been for seemingly ever. They are both secretly head over heels in love with each other though. Not just love.. but LURRVE. Like, we are obsessively spending every spare minute together just to be able to breathe the same air in love. Its so sweet its almost too much. Jenika Snow knows how to walk just THISCLOSE to that line between over-the-top alpha male, cheesy possessiveness and downright stalker. Its great. Axel is the man... hes ALL man and hes not afraid to show that side of himself to Roxie or anyone who might come near her. She belongs to him and he is ready to let her and the world know it. There is just one problem... Roxie beats him to the punch. I LOVED IT!! Usually in these short, fairly predictable friends-to-lovers novellas it is the man who takes the lead and throws down the "i love you"s and makes the first move. Not our Roxie girl. She barreled in head first and it paid off in spades. Sexy, sexy spades. Ohhh yeahhh.. ;)
For what its worth, I hope JS keeps writing this series forever. The Real Man books have everything I am looking for in a quick reading escape. They are well written with engaging characters, just the right length and full of explosive chemistry. BRAVO!...more
It is no secret at all that JD Hawkins is by far my favorite male author and an auto one click for me. That being said, the friends-to-lovers trope isIt is no secret at all that JD Hawkins is by far my favorite male author and an auto one click for me. That being said, the friends-to-lovers trope is NOT generally one of my go-to reads and sometimes I will avoid them. However, after reading the blurb and knowing what JDH can do for a story, I knew that Unprofessional was one book I was going to have to give a try. Owen and Margo were not only friends, but co-workers. They have been best friends, nothing more, since their college days so they have a deep understanding and affection for each other. I really felt this was crucial to the story and that the author did a great job of weaving this relationship throughout the entire length of the book and making the reader understand how they had grown and developed over time. The personalities of Owen and Margo were just perfect together. They had insane sexual chemistry and their conversations and banter kept me entertained from start to finish. I especially loved Owen's character. Im not sure if its because its coming from a male author or what.. but Owen seemed very realistic and he was just adorable. And HOT. Cant forget that. Owen was HOT AF. *fans self* Unprofessional is really a wonderful story and any fan of the friends-to-lovers type reads will definitely be in for a treat with this one. ...more
Sweet Rivalry is the novella length companion/spin-off story to K. Bromberg's Sweet Cheeks. One of the main characters in Sweet Rivalry is Ryder, he iSweet Rivalry is the novella length companion/spin-off story to K. Bromberg's Sweet Cheeks. One of the main characters in Sweet Rivalry is Ryder, he is Saylor's brother, the MC from Sweet Cheeks. So while this is written to be a stand alone read, it is the second book containing these characters. I generally love these 1001 Dark Nights novellas. They are short, hot and written by some of the best authors in the genre. When I found out K. Bromberg was writing this one? SIGN ME UP! With a unique story line (construction management), two powerful main characters and enough sexual tension to power a small nuclear plant - the author pulls out all the stops with Sweet Rivalry. I thought the book itself was very well written, especially for novella length. I realize it must be incredibly hard to pack an entire story into such a short amount of space. The only issues I had were I felt that perhaps Harper's character was a bit overwhelmingly strong at times and that turns me off in a female lead (my opinion only) and I was a little disappointed in the ending. I would have liked to see more of a wrap up. I would definitely recommend Sweet Rivalry to any fan of the 1001 Dark Nights series and especially to K. Bromberg fans (like myself)! Its short, HOT and just right for a quick read! 3.5-4 WickedGoodStars!...more
Wonderful! Definitely would recommend reading Riddick first as you are introduced to Jude in his book (the first in the series). Kathy Jude and Vivian
Wonderful! Definitely would recommend reading Riddick first as you are introduced to Jude in his book (the first in the series). Kathy Coopmans is doing a FANTASTIC job with The Saints! I am in love with these characters. Jude is sexy, smart and swoony in his glasses. *le sigh* Vivian is oh-so-sassy and classy... shes just too much for poor Jude to resist. The story was engaging and complicated, the characters developed and complex and there was just enough drama to hold your attention but not blow your mind off into outer space somewhere. Nooo... the steam levels did that. At least for me. Yeah, this author can write some pretty good sexy times. Oh yeah... *wink wink* Plenty of that mixed in this story also.
Ive been a long time fan of KC but I can honestly say that this series is shaping up to be my definite favorite of hers so far. Bring on Tyson. ;) Im giving Jude 4.5 **** WickedGoodStars!...more
Loading...
