Monday, August 22, 2016

Sinner by Jianne Carlo

Sinner by Jianne Carlo
The Hades Squad Series, Book 1
Publisher: Hartwood Publishing (February 2015)
302 pages, eBook (purchased myself for $2.99)
Book Rating: 4 Stars
Sensuality: Red Heart

Destiny is preparing to edit a difficult author’s book, when she gets stranded in her cabin during a blizzard with a paratrooper that mis-landed in the storm. Linc (Sinner) is instantly determined to make her his for the duration, but he can tell it will take some persuading to get Destiny on board with his plans. Fun, quick read! Destiny comes off as a bit of ditz in the beginning, but she improves along the way. Sinner, I liked from the beginning—but then again, what’s not to like. This was a little heavy on the sex scenes, for me (seemed to be getting busy every time they turned around), but others may like that. Can’t wait to meet the rest of Sinner’s SEAL squad!

Friday, August 19, 2016

Protect Me by Margaret Watson

Protect Me by Margaret Watson
The Donovan Family Series, Book 6
Publisher: Dragonfly Press (November 2015)
329 pages, eBook (provided by the Author for review)
Book Rating: 4 Stars
Sensuality: Red Heart

Mia is hoping to make Detective just like her brothers, and a bodyguard assignment for a movie star who is filming in town seems like a good way to ensure she gets her promotion, but the more she gets to know Finn, the less it becomes just part of the job. I normally don’t like to read books from a series out of order, but I got this one and delved right in. This story can be read as a standalone, but as with any series, I think it would be more enjoyable if you had the background of having read the other stories. Nice little twist with the bodyguard being the female in the relationship. Both characters were very likable, but it was a little heavy on the lust/desire inner monologue for my taste (as was the first book in the series). Looking forward to going back and reading the four brothers' stories!

Wednesday, August 17, 2016

Ella Bandita and the Wanderer by Montgomery Mahaffey

Ella Bandita and the Wanderer by Montgomery Mahaffey
Publisher: Free Flying Press (May 2014)
296 pages, eBook (provided by the Author for review)
Book Rating: 4 Stars
Sensuality: Pink Heart

This is a novel-length fable about a young woman who essentially sold her soul to a sorcerer, only to regret it too late. The traditional fable writing style and use of archetypes instead of character names,  made this an unusual and unique read, that takes place in a vivid fantasy world. The overriding theme throughout the story is bad things come from not following your heart (desires and other base instincts will lead you astray). I can’t really say that I liked any of the main characters, and Ella herself I liked least of all. Given her pitiable childhood, I wished I could have liked her more, but her vicious lack of compassion for anyone but herself made that very difficult. The Shepherd, though only a secondary character, was by far my favorite and I found his strong connection to both Ella and the Wanderer very intriguing, especially the pivotal part he played in the Wanderer’s evolution as a character.  Interesting ending, and a very thought-provoking read.

Thursday, August 4, 2016

Love Me by Margaret Watson

Love Me by Margaret Watson
The Donovan Family Series, Book 1
Publisher: Margaret Watson (January 2014)
122 pages, eBook (available for Free on Amazon)
Book Rating: 4 Stars
Sensuality: Red Heart

Helen and Jamie had an unforgettable one-night-stand over a year ago but no contact information was exchanged, so they are both surprised to see each other again when Helen’s landlord hires Jamie to remodel her office after someone attacked it with a car. Great fast-paced story, with the little added uncertainty of Helen being in danger from an irate ex-husband in a custody suit she handled. A bit heavy on the desire/lust inner monologue for my taste, but I loved the characters. I’m excited to read the next book in the series, Watch Me.

Wednesday, August 3, 2016

Wrong Question, Right Answer by Elle Casey

Wrong Question, Right Answer by Elle Casey
The Bourbon Street Boys Series, Book 3
Publisher: Montlake Romance (August 2016)
336 pages, eBook (provided by the publisher for review)
Book Rating: 4 Stars
Sensuality: Red Heart

Toni has been running away from the kiss she had with Lucky in middle school for over a decade, but an after-hours celebration with the team brings it all back and they slip up, making what could be the best mistake of their lives or the worst. I haven’t liked Toni through this entire series, and I didn’t like her through much of this book either. She’s stubborn, she’s abrasive, and often self-absorbed. I’m convinced Lucky is a saint to have put up with her and her crap. But, once Toni got past all her self-erected barriers, they were great together and I even kind of liked her in the end. They were both struggling with misplaced self-blame from their past, and it was interesting to see them work through it together. This story wasn’t nearly as light-hearted as the first two in this series, but it was a quick read. The only member of the team left is Thibault. Will he get a story of his own? I hope so!

Tuesday, August 2, 2016

Wrong Place, Right Time by Elle Casey

Wrong Place, Right Time by Elle Casey
The Bourbon Street Boys Series, Book 2
Publisher: Montlake Romance (May 2016)
370 pages, eBook (purchased myself for $2.00)
Book Rating: 4 Stars
Sensuality: Red Heart

Jenny is a single mom, with three kids, struggling with a less than helpful ex and she finds herself laid off from job, but a freelance opportunity through her sister’s boyfriend leads to her working with The Bourbon Street Boys group. Some unexpected danger and excitement makes everything a little crazy, but I really liked Jenny and how average she came across. The romance between her and Dev is sweet and slow-moving, with only one real sex scene, which I appreciated. I only wish Dev and Jenny could have leveled a bit more with each other, so there hadn’t been so much uncertainty between them. Fun read, with a good deal of humor and a few hilarious moments! Looking forward to the next book in the series!