Housewife Blues and Chihuahua Stories

Basically this sets up the plot, introduces the characters and gives us a glimpse into the politics that make up the motives behind the storyline.

If you like reading books about those who tattoo and you enjoy really down and dirty bedroom talk and action than Shea and Shep will be just the ticket!

It was fun to watch these two people from totally different backgrounds meet, get together and prove you cannot judge a book by its cover.

The third book in a series that pushes boundaries as well as follows the exploits of a diverse group of characters.

As intense as both books prior to it, and as darkly edgy.

Full review soon.

Fairly typical erotic romance featuring twin brothers who fulfill Megan's every fantasy, even ones she never admitted to herself.

Finished and while satisfied this last book ended on a joyful note am still lost knowing the journey with Rachel, Ivy, Jenks, Al, Trent, Quen, Jon, Lucy , Ray , Bis and Newt is over. That is all I have to share because my emotions at this point upon saying goodbye to the cast of characters in the Hollows series are all over the place, it is like my favorite family members all died at once.

Knew going in these were just short snippets in time but did not expect them to carry off the "punch" they both contained as well as they did. Excellent quick reads, perfect for a lunch break time wise.

Second chances are awesome when they work and Vaughn's second chance at building a life together with Kelly and his daughters made for a lovely story of redemption and forgiveness.

Full review closer to release.

Spending time in Hell Texas again was as fun the second time as it was the first. The Outlaws were again in fine form, however poor Saint finds himself succumbing to the wiles of Cameron Dix and whether he likes it or not his days of not being attached to anyone are numbered. Not only does Cameron light his fire but she also soothes his soul, both of which at first terrify the man and than slowly he realizes she is the best thing that ever came into his life as he is hers as well.

The scenes however with the mutt Lucky that Cameron basically cons Saint into accepting are the sweetest part of the story.

Full review closer to release.

The intense passion Kyden and Nexi have for each is off the charts but the clock is ticking as Nexi finds herself to be irresistible to allies and enemies alike, her potent blood a siren song to any vampire she comes in contact with.

This becomes an unexpected asset at one pivotal point in she and Kyden's ongoing investigation of the murdered Guardians.

However it also paints a target on Nexi that once again almost costs her life, the end result of which nearly drives Kyden beyond despair.

I liked the different elements that make up this story, once again though the romance between Kyden and Nexie is a big focus and well worth looking forward to as they struggle to come to terms with each other over boundaries of personal safety. However neither is willing to give less than their best as Guardians and this makes for some conflict that they have a hard time coming to terms with.

All in all the second book was as well rounded as the first and look forward to continuing series to see where the author takes us to in the next book with Nexie and the rest.

Full review closer to release.

Quick, light hearted romance that started with a fake engagement that turned into the real deal for Charlie and Davis.

Unique concept, world familiar, main female character has depth and evenly paced read. Not invested in final outcome for Selah enough to continue with series though.

Book Info
Paperback
Expected publication: May 1st 2015 by Thomas & Mercer (first published March 17th 2015)
ISBN 1477827811 (ISBN13: 9781477827819)
edition language English
series The Dominic Grey Novels #4
other editions (3)
Source:

Book Buy Links
AMAZON
B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS

The sins of the past always return…

Called upon by a former love to look into the death of a family friend in Miami, veteran investigator Dominic Grey is sucked into the darkest reaches of international narcotics trafficking. The murders of multiple drug dealers during a bizarre religious ceremony, combined with the appearance of a mythical assassin, take DEA agent Federico Hernandez and CIA operative Lana Valenciano down the same deadly path.

Lying in wait is an enemy known only as the General: a criminal mastermind whose uncanny ability to avoid detection while cowing even the most ruthless of rival cartels has made him a legend.

Thrown together on a covert manhunt, Grey and the two government agents race across the Americas to unearth a dark chapter in the history of the CIA that has spilled into the present—and put them in the crosshairs of an underworld puppeteer with a frightening reach.

My Thoughts

This is the second book, and the 4th in the series, that I have read and it is intense, fast paced, action oriented, suspenseful, thrilling and at the end heartbreaking.

Dominic Grey is a character with many facets, not the least of which is his considerable honor keeping him on the side of justice for those who otherwise would go without it.

Touching upon subjects as varied as the occult to corruption, this story follows the travels from Miami to various South American destinations that Dominic finds himself undertaking to discover the whereabouts and identity of The General. His journey finds he and his companions fighting for their lives more than once and the intensity of the danger is almost overwhelming but ultimately overcome with stealth, skill and a lot of luck on Dominic’s part.

Once again we are given a thrilling look into a world that most of us would never be exposed to, from narcotic trafficking to a chilling religious cult the reader never knows what to expect until immersed in the action.

I am fascinated with this character and his uncanny ability to survive dire situations that seem hopeless, Dominic Grey is not a superhero by any means but he is my kind of everyday hero that we need more of in the real world!

Second chances are always wonderful romance reads, especially when the couple in question were not involved the first time around but were part of a business arrangement.

Cate and Daniel are both strong characters and watching their relationship evolve from wariness to passion was interesting and exciting.

Book Info
Kindle Edition
Expected publication: May 12th 2015 by Loveswept
ASIN B00N6PEWJQ
other editions (1)
Source:Netgalley EARC

Book Buy Links
Amazon
B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS

In this edgy, sizzling romance for fans of Monica Murphy and Abbi Glines, a bad boy shows a straitlaced law student how to slow down and savor the good things.

Everly Parker is about to graduate from law school, always busy, and can’t stop rushing through life. Her late grandmother left her a bucket list of meaningful, can’t-miss experiences, but she hasn’t completed a single one. Then searing-hot Max Levin bursts into her world. As a casting director for a porn production company, Max is loaded, cocky, and all wrong for Everly. Still, she’s tempted enough to cross the first item off her list: Go out with someone you’d never give the time of day.

Inheriting a porn empire isn’t every guy’s dream (well, actually, it probably is), but Max isn’t complaining. It’s just that until he meets Everly, he has no idea what he’s been missing. As the pressure mounts to take over the family business, Max can’t help wondering what would happen if he chose Everly instead. So far, his life has been a wild ride, but only Everly promises the greatest rush of all: love.

Includes a special message from the editor, as well as an excerpt from another Loveswept title.

My Thoughts

Everly Parker comes from a family who sets the bar high, especially her mother who expects her daughter to follow in her footsteps becoming a high powered attorney working for a world class firm upon her graduation from law school. Everly finds herself questioning this career for the first time in her life when she inherits her grandmother’s home and discovers a love for decorating that fulfills her in ways that the thought of practicing corporate law never did.

Meeting Max Levin by accident in her favorite study spot when he is there to interview her two housemates, who are paid escorts, the attraction is not immediate on her part but scorching on his.

Everly is everything Max is not, she is uptight, focused solely on the business of her studies and generally dresses plainly without frills or makeup. In effect the exact opposite of the kind of women he normally finds himself surrounded by, women whose obvious sexuality and love of having a good time override any other consideration.

As someone who has not been exposed to the industry Everly naturally makes assumptions about Max and his family due to their pornography production company, White Lace. She assumes that Max is a spoiled playboy who views all women as a notch on his bedpost, especially since at first meeting he makes no effort to conceal his fascination with her body.

Not only is Everly proven wrong about Max but he is surprisingly proved wrong about his misconceptions of her as well as they get to know each other when he offers to help her with the Bucket List her grandmother asked her to undertake before she died.

Despite opposition from her parents Everly continues to grow closer to Max, what started out as a simple exercise to open her eyes to the wonders of the world around her has become something much more personal for both of them. As they grow closer both law school for Everly and following in his father’s footsteps for Max to run White Lace no longer appeal to either one of them.

However how do you find it in your heart to abandon a lifelong dream and hurt the ones who have made it their mission for you to achieve it? Not only that but what do you do instead? These are the issues that torment both Everly and Max throughout the story, with a few other issues that almost tear them apart for good.

This is not the usual type of love story that I read that is for sure. This was however funny, serious, entertaining, sexy, informative and an all around lovely tale of two people who under different circumstances would have never gotten together.

Everly and Max worked well, polar opposites in many ways but in all the ways that count perfectly matched, it was a joy to see them fall in love and work their way to an HEA!

[EArc from Netgalley in exchange for honest review]

Book Info
Hardcover, 304 pages
Expected publication: May 5th 2015 by Sourcebooks Fire
ISBN 1402291507 (ISBN13: 9781402291500)
other editions (3)
Source:Netgalley EARC

Book Buy Links
Amazon
B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS

WHAT IS NORMAL?

For Trevor, normal was fast guitar licks, catching game-winning passes, and partying all night. Until a car accident leaves him with no band, no teammates, and no chance of graduating. It’s kinda hard to ace your finals when you’ve been in a coma. The last thing he needs is stuck-up Everly Jenkins as his new tutor—those beautiful blue eyes catching every last flaw.

For Everly, normal was a perfect family around the dinner table, playing piano at Sunday service, and sunning by the pool. Until she discovers her whole life is a lie. Now the perfect pastor’s daughter is hiding a life-changing secret, one that is slowly tearing her family apart. And spending the summer with notorious flirt Trevor Lewis means her darkest secret could be exposed.

This achingly beautiful story about two damaged teens struggling through pain and loss to redefine who they are—to their family, to themselves, and to each other—is sure to melt your heart.

My Thoughts

Trevor was introduced in book 1 Boys Like You, which did not read but did not feel the lack as back story was pretty well covered to catch me up. I thought that the fit of he and Everly was a good one, they were both decent teens who had been dealt a losing hand in life due to no fault of their own.

The emotions of loss of self and feeling anger over another's actions was both realistic as well as heartbreaking to read about on behalf of these characters.

I am a fan of contemporary settings and situations for Young Adult stories and this one hits below the belt for me a couple of times for several reasons due to my own past experiences with the aftermath of damage done to friends who were in accidents either driving drunk or hit by a drunk driver themselves.

Believe me when I say they were truly, no pun intended, "sobering moments"!

Trevor is a typical teenage male, he has it all going for him until the fateful night when he and his best friend mistakenly get in a car while totally trashed. The resulting accident took this young man with the promising future and turned him into a young man who is unsure whether that future he dreamed about all his life even has a chance of becoming reality.

Everly is the pastor’s daughter, the girl who on the outside has the perfect family with the perfect house and yet she finds herself wishing that perfect life was real rather than the lie that she knows it to be.

At seventeen while their friends seem to have it all together Everly and Trevor find themselves losing the foundation of what had made them whole. Everly with the tension between her parents and an awful truth about her Dad that she does not want to face and Trevor with his recovery from his Traumatic Brain Injury not progressing as well as he had hoped these two have more than enough to deal with for a lifetime.

The way in which they handle their respective troubles though is what really makes the reader ache for them both, the two prove that healing takes time and effort but with help from someone who cares it is easier.

As the book blurb so eloquently put it this is indeed an achingly beautiful story.

[EArc from Netgalley in exchange for honest review]

Brian and Jillian are back and the raunchy Victoria as well. This time the risqué behavior was expected but still managed a few shockers for the reader, not the least of which came from Brian's uptight parents in a scene that will make you roar with laughter or lose your lunch.

We end however with a major cliffhanger that was vaguely ironic and totally annoying but also able to create anticipation to continue to next book to see what happened.

These stories are fun to read and in no way fluff but at the same time not heavy on delving into deep subjects but rather skim their surface.