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Archives: Reviews

  • Wild Wind by Kristen Ashley

    Any glimpse into the Chaos world makes me happy. I’ve loved these characters for so long! Through the Chaos series, we’ve seen Jagger grow into the amazing man he is in this book. I adored the premise of his and Archie’s story, how they knew they belonged together even without knowing each other’s names for years. This story is definitely one of instant love, even if that love actually grew over ten years. There’s a lot packed into this novella and all of it is wonderful, but the best part is the theme about finding your tribe. Loved it!

  • Flame and Burn by Chelle Bliss

    I LOVE these characters! Gigi is a good, smartass family girl just out of college; Pike is a tested, tattooed hardass finally ready to settle down. The two of them together is so much fire and heat, it’s enough to melt the most hardened heart. Flame and Burn are the 2-book story that starts the next generation of Chelle Bliss’s Men of Inked series. I’ve not read any of the Men of Inked books, but I got a good idea of the characters and storylines throughout Flame and Burn. There’s definitely no need to read the other series to get fully enveloped into this one. These two books stand alone on their own, but I’m totally putting the rest of the series on my TBR. Everyone in this series I’ve met so far is sexy and full of spit and vinegar. That’s a recipe for unputdownable reading!

  • Straightened Out by Janine Infante Bosco

    Okay, I will be the first to admit it. I fell hard for Rocco Spinelli. It isn’t just his bad boy antics that had me falling head over heels. He proved to be so much more than that. His relationship with Violet was extremely captivating. The fact that she was his best friends sister was literally just the icing on the cake. He is heavily involved with the mob and with that comes violence, chaos and women. Violet is a beautiful, passionate dancer and is as graceful as she is sassy. Everything about them shouldn’t work, yet, you will find yourself entranced with their interactions. There is a strong push and pull vibe between them and it really leads to some thrilling moments. There is a lot of action and some darker moments within the pages of this book. New York City as the backdrop also added a special element for me and I really can’t wait to read the next part of this families story.

  • Unlike Any Other by Claudia Burgoa

    This is one of the most challenging recommendations I have ever had to write. Unlike Any Other is a unique book. Most of my reading is done alongside another activity. Knitting, working, or whatever else needs my attention. And the majority of stories are content to wrap themselves around that framework. This story demanded my full and complete attention! There are red herrings, twists, turns, and not one but TWO compelling stories. I am not ashamed to admit that, at first, I felt a little lost and almost tossed this onto the DNF pile. I’m so glad I didn’t! This book is the bedrock for the Unexpected Series and it is rock solid! This is the challenge I am left with. The best quotes run the risk of giving away too much. But, do yourself a favor. Carve out some time and just let yourself unwrap all the layers that are present in this book. You will not regret it!

  • Craving by Helen Hardt

    If you like your romance books written with a whole lot of banging mixed in with a sprinkle of storyline, Craving by Helen Hardt is the start of a series for you! I lost count at how many times the two main characters ended up boning, but it’s a lot. (I’m sure the trip to the clinic for an antibiotics prescription to cure her UTI was unspoken.) Craving is a classic start to a long series of books centered around a family of billionaire siblings, and if this book is any indication of how the rest of the series goes, it’s a wonder how any work gets done on the family ranch. I recommend adding this hugely popular book to your TBR and pounding it out like Jade and Talon do: you’ll be done and ready for more right away!

  • Clean Slate by Isla Olsen

    Lately, I don’t know if it is a seasonable thing or the state of the world, but I have noticed my reading leaning towards darker places. But, maybe since Spring is on the way and as a way to refresh my brain, I went in search of something lighter. And I found it in Clean Slate. This story is a second chance at love, low angst story. So what makes it stand out? It is funny! There is a small town that wants nothing more for our heroes to get their act together, tequila fueled misdemeanors and a bunch of oversexed senior citizens who are not shy about sharing their adventures or their love of smutty fiction! As much I enjoy my action and intrigue it was nice to take a deep breath, sit back and watch Zack and Slater (yeah, I know) find their way back to each other. Treat yourself to a mental health break and dive into the shenanigans of Finchley, California!

  • The Endless Road to Sunshine by Nicky James

    Nicky James has the gift of creating beautiful, broken characters. When we meet Jason Atkinson he is at rock bottom. After leaving his old life behind, he is doing his best to overcome guilt, shame, and grief after discovering his husband is not only a serial killer but has been using him as his excuse to kill. Fate throws much younger, sunshiny Skylar Dawson in his path. Watching Skyler guide Jason back to the world of the living is compelling. There were several moments in the story when I wasn’t sure if Jason was going to be able to overcome his past. By the end, you can be sure these two have put in the work for their happy ending!

  • Not the Marrying Kind by Kathryn Nolan

    What a fantastic book!! Opposites definitely attract in this fun, flirty and romantic love story. Fiona Quinn is an overly structured, type A, list and spreadsheet loving attorney from a family of free-spirited punk rockers. I absolutely love, love, love her! I love that she’s so focused and put together, but always ready to crowd surf. And Max is her polar opposite – a wild one who never stays in one place for too long and is absolutely not a fan of commitment. The best part of this book is the family dynamics. You can feel how much Fiona and Max love their families, both blood and not. This book is so fun, the banter between Max and Fiona was great to read and their sexual chemistry is off the charts hot. This is the second book in a series, the first is about Fiona’s sister, Roxy. I didn’t read Roxy’s book but I’m absolutely adding it to my TBR. This one is a must-read in 2021!

  • The Night Of by Tal Bauer

    It is no secret that I am a Tal Bauer stan. But this book is a distillation of everything I love about his work. The story launches with the apparent suicide of the leader of the free world. At Camp David, under the watch of the Secret Service. The rest is a breathless race of the Vice President, Jonathan Sharp, and his ex-lover, Secret Service Agent, Sean Avery to find the truth and protect the legacy of the President. There were several times when I was sure I had the solution but I was not prepared for the twist at the end. When I say I had to put down my Kindle and stare out into space for a few minutes to recover.

  • Breakaway by Kindle Alexander

    Kindle Alexander delivers another solid story! This is the perfect vehicle to just relax and let go for a while. There is everything from sweet, pink tinted romance to red hot and scorching bedroom (and just about anywhere else you can think of) action. And to keep things from getting too sweet there is just the right amount of drama. Greer and Dallas are both smart and engaging characters and getting lost in their world is super easy. Watching these men develop and fall in love is the perfect use for a few hours.

  • Eastern Lights by Brittainy Cherry

    A story of 2 amazing humans who share one magical night falling in love. Then 2 years later they struggle to unravel the complicated histories, realities and insecurities keeping them apart. Man oh man, Brittainy has a way with writing broken people unlike any other author. You love them, but you also want to punch them in the face sometimes, lol! We met Connor Roe in Southern Storms, when he was just an ambitious, witty and charismatic teenager. You do not have to read that story prior to this one, but boy was it fun to read him all grown up. I loved this story!!! Especially the night Connor and Aaliyah met… seriously, I live for serendipitous story lines like this, it’s the reason I read romance. Another fantastic book from one of my favorite authors! ❤

  • Prima by Alta Hensley & Maggie Ryan

    Mafia romance always intrigues me. It is one of the reasons I love dark romance so much. The grit and grime of it all. You never know what to expect and when I read about a big, strong, alpha male bending to the will of an innocent, uncorrupted woman, it makes me weak in the knees. I actually read Aleks first encounter with Clara several times. It is so raw and thrilling. The way he describes his draw to her. Seeing her through his eyes and how he literally cannot control himself. It gave me all the tingles. They have some pretty intense, hot-as-hell scenes. This story is pure chaos and mayhem mixed in with tiny delicious moments that these two authors blend seamlessly. There are also some pretty heavy moments to this story so be aware. That being said, I was engaged for the entire wild ride and loved every second of it.

  • The Crush by Penelope Ward

    If you asked me to give you one word to describe this book, it would be INTENSE. Everything about it is intense…the story of how Farrah and her brother lost their parents, Jase’s history, the emotions and mostly, the INTENSE sexual tension between Farrah and Jase. There’s nothing I like more in a love story than when the sexual tension finally explodes, and Jase and Farrah exploded in the best way. There’s a lot going on in this story but it all comes together perfectly in the end. Penelope Ward has a gift for entwining the romance, heat, emotion and angst to give us an amazing read.

  • Make Me Yours by Melanie Harlow

    The one word I keep thinking of to describe this book is adorable. Everything about it is simply adorable. Cole and Cheyenne’s relationship has a history and in a small town setting, history means everyone knows your business. Cole, as a dad, melted my my heart. I kept smiling as I read the parts with him and his daughter. It is no surprise to me that Cheyenne has loved him for as long as she has. I loved the slow build of their romance although, once the fire was lit I really kept wanting an EXPLOSION of passion. Don’t get me wrong, there are some super heated moments, but the potential between these two to really light up the pages kept just lurking beneath the surface. All in all, Melanie Harlow gave us feel-good moments throughout this book that had me giggling and swooning non stop!

  • The Possession by S. Firecox

    If you are looking for a deliciously naughty, BDSM short story with three men sharing a woman, you have found the right book. I cannot decide which guy was more enticing: Luka, Ian or Declan. Each had their own expertly crafted personality, and all three were mouth watering. And Savannah was the perfect submissive for them, although I feel like she was the luckiest character in the story! For some icing on this decadent cake, I have permission to tell you that S. Firecox is the secret pen name of one of the #Shameless21 authors! So if you can figure out who she is, you can come to Shameless and meet her! Either way, read this today, and you will not be disappointed!

  • Desperate For You by Weston Parker

    Once in awhile I like to dive into an emotionally charged love story that I know will hit me right in the feels and Jacob and Laurie’s did exactly that. There are no games here. No layers of deception or lies. Just two people living their lives for the people they hold most dear who happen to be drawn to each other despite their best efforts not to be. The simplicity of it all is what I enjoyed most. I loved that their kids formed a bond and that forced them to have to interact. Laurie is a fierce mama bear and Jacob isn’t use to having woman not fall at his feet so the heat between them is a slow build but totally enjoyable. Don’t get me wrong, the chemistry between them was hot, just not “in your face” obvious. Definitely had a love/hate thing going on and that tends to lead to some of the hottest sex! You don’t have to take my word on it though… READ!

  • Hard to Score by K. Bromberg

    I really enjoyed to first two books in this series, but she totally kicked it up a notch with Hard to Score. It has everything I love in a story – second-chance romance with a high school crush, family drama, lots of romance and of course HEAT! I love that Drew and Brex have a history so we get a little of that friends-to-lovers trope. The premise of this series, four sisters kicking ass in a male-dominated sports world, is so original and fun, and Brex is definitely my favorite Kincaid sister. Drew is so sweet and the fact that he was struggling a bit in his career really made him likable and relatable. The backstory of the family drama was awesome and kept me wanting to know more about what actually happened. As always, Bromberg weaves a romantic love story filled with emotion and amazing chemistry. Score!!!

    Read my other recs in this series:

  • Bound Together by K. Webster and Nikki Ash

    I could not WAIT to get my hands on book 2 of this duet! K. Webster & Nikki Ash pack just as much heat and love into this half as they did in the first. The dynamics are just as sexy and meaningful – if not more – because of the lines that are crossed and boundaries tested. The sexual chemistry between each set of characters is so captivating and engaging. Mia, Ashton, Drew, and Brayden seriously have one of the purest connections I have read in a long time. They are so perfectly woven together that their encounters seem natural and even when pushing limits, the dynamics remain so true to form. This duet is unbelievably sexy and I loved each and every character these authors created!
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    Read my ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ recommendation of book 1, Torn Apart!

  • Ten Hours By Melissa Toppen

    I picked Ten Hours because it has such high ratings on Amazon. I kept reading Ten Hours because it’s damn good! With dual POV that is necessary to fully tell the story, the two characters start off spending a whirlwind night together. What comes after is both consequence and eventuality that Melissa Toppen weaves with a rollercoaster of emotional ups and downs. While you can definitely read Ten Hours as its own standalone book, the follow-up, What Comes After, is available. (If you hate spoilers like I do, don’t read the synopsis of the second book!) Ten Hours is a tear-jerker with intense emotional scenes and plenty of steamy love scenes. I highly recommend!

  • Love is in the Air Anthology by Multiple Authors

    The proceeds from this collection of short stories goes to the American Heart Association, which I think is amazing! It’s an adorable assortment of heart warming short stories. Elizabeth Safleur’s Getting Lucky is a funny, sexy little second chance romance story. Kailee Reese Samuels’s instalust story begins with, “Do you want to fuck?” Lexi C. Foss’s Rotanev introduces a new world that she will expand on in the spring, and it’s just as intriguing as all of her worlds are. Lisa Suzanne’s Tell Her Tonight is a sexy, heart warming big brother’s best friend story. And SE Rose’s Occupied with Love is a great story of strangers getting trapped together and playing some sexy games. That’s only a selection of stories in this anthology. Grab it today, and enjoy all of these wonderful short stories!!!

  • Stalkers: A Dark Romance Anthology by Multiple Authors

    If you are a fan of dark stories, this anthology is right up your alley. There’s something for everyone in it. There are even a couple of #Shameless21 authors with stories in there. But the stories I am most impressed with are by a pair of still fairly new to me authors, S. and C. Firecox. In this anthology, S. Firecox contributed Always Second Best, which is a really hot story with a heroine I just wanted to hug, and a hero that is not actually a hero at all. But their story drew me in and gave me all the feels. C. Firecox has a story called Claimed in the anthology, and it kept me on the edge of my seat with its twists and turns. I cannot wait to get through the rest of these stories in this anthology! Just a warning that there are definitely some dark themes in here, so if that’s your thing, you won’t regret jumping in!

  • Mister Manhattan by Alexandria Sure

    One thing I always love about Alexandria Sure’s books is the characters! This one is no exception. It’s an adorable romance with a wonderful cast of characters, including a surprising pet. This one is fade to black, so there is no smut, but the story still left me with a flutter in my chest! I love Jurnee’s spunk and determination, and Anderson is super yummy. His bewilderment as he falls for Jurnee is just adorable. Grab this one today if you are in the mood for a fun read!

  • Turning Back by JA Huss

    First off, you definitely have to read the first book in this series for most of what happens in Turning Back to make sense. Once you’ve done yourself that favor, you’ll be like me and want to roll right into this book, the 2nd in the trilogy. In Turning Back, Quin’s long lost love is back and they both want the other person they love, Bric, back in their relationship. It’s a mess of miscommunications and spite and arguments and make-up sex between them all, and it’s absolutely worth reading!

  • Taking Turns by JA Huss

    Sometimes I think having alternating POVs will be confusing when I read a book, but having all 4 personalities speaking in the story was the perfect way to read this quad story. For as depraved as it could have been – I mean, it’s 1 woman and 3 men in a ménage relationship, so yeah – Taking Turns is on the tamer side of a nuclear heat level book. It was sweet and then it would turn dirty, all in the same paragraph. This is my first JA Huss book, and from what I’ve heard, she can get down right nasty in her stories. I’ll get to those later, but for now, I’m reading on to the second book in this series because I didn’t get enough of these 4 characters!

  • Just Like I Want You by B. Love

    This novella was exactly what I needed leading up to Valentine’s day. The perfect 1-2 punch! There is no beating around the bush. Gideon & Ryan made it clear from the start that they were on a different wavelength then everybody else. I mean, he was so entuned to her physically and emotionally he had her say her affirmations right became she came. And he said them back to drive home the point! He wanted her to love herself and see what he saw so badly. It was as beautiful as it was erotic. Their intimacy was indescribable. And I loved how sexy he was – “Sit on it,” he ordered before tugging his bottom lip between his teeth. I mean, DAMN! Ryan was one lucky girl!

  • Deadly Temptations by Aurora Black

    You know what I love more than forbidden love? Mob forbidden love. It is dangerous in a way that makes your heart race and the explosive sex that comes from that sort of connection is so unbelievably hot. Aurora Black packed so much in book one of the Bring Me Pain saga. The characters were extremely captivating. Nik is being groomed to take over the Russian mob and Ari is heir to the Italian mob. You can only guess the hatred that has been ingrained in them throughout the years and how much hotter it makes the sex between them. Looking forward to the continuation of this smoking, thrilling story!

  • All the Secrets by Charlotte Byrd

    I was honestly counting down the day until Emma and Liam’s story continued! The first book left my head spinning so it was no surprise to me that book two was just as much of a wild ride. I have this love/hate relationship with Emma. I understand why she did what she did but man, my heart hurt for Liam. The lies, twists and deceit run rampant but the desire and connection between the two is undeniable and hard to stop. I do love them together and found myself completely wrapped up in their moments together. I am DYING for the third book!!

  • The Zodiac Queen: Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo by Gemma James

    These little gems of dirty are like episodes of a 12-episode TV series you’d never watch on regular channels. As of the publishing of this recommendation, The Zodiac Queen series by Gemma James is still rolling out, one novella every few months. So far, the 6 I’m recommending are all published, and the next in the series, Libra, releasing soon. Normally, I like to wait for a TV series to be completed before I start watching (binge is my middle name), but reading these books are more “fun and sexy” than “deep and involved,” so reading them as they release are a treat! I will forewarn you that there is some dub-con early on with a barely-of-age innocent heroine who has to quickly learn her place within the Brotherhood of 12 very experienced men on the island where she’s held against her will. Yep, this is some real Stockholm Syndrome shit, but it’s also not real life. Reality doesn’t belong here. So give in like the queen does (c’mon, not really a spoiler here) and let the story take hold of your naughty imagination.

  • The Sweetest Fix by Tessa Bailey

    I’m here for anything written by Tessa Bailey. She’s the queen of mixing the dirty with the sweet romance and she achieves this mix perfectly in The Sweetest Fix. The attraction between Leo and Reese was palpable. Their chemistry flew off the pages and I loved every sweet (and dirty) minute of it. This steamy romantic comedy and just enough real emotion and true love to keep you swooning. And don’t get me started on the amazingness of “nap-dates.” Bravo, Tessa! You definitely deserve a standing ovation for this one.

  • Still Standing by Kristen Ashley

    Overall, I really enjoyed this book. The writing is vintage KA and this reads like a Chaos book. Maybe too much like a Chaos book. Buck is eerily similar to Tack, from the crazy ex-wife, the two amazing but wild kids, leading the MC out of illegal dealings and into a legitimate business…to me it’s just too similar to Motorcycle Man and Chaos. That being said, it’s a great story. The characters are complicated with lots of layers. Clara and Buck’s instant attraction was hot and fun and Clara’s “biker babe” lessons were a riot. If you’re a fan of the Chaos series, I think you’ll really enjoy the Wild West series.