Fairest Of All Book Reviews

The debutante path is a fairly straight track: who you are, who you associate with, and whose label you are wearing become priorities. They define you. They are the aspects by which you are judged.

Ashlyn’s world has been one of enlightenment and finesse, and now she is ready to take on the financial world at her father’s company just as he had always planned. Her future had been scripted long ago, but a chance meeting with a beautiful boy on a bicycle gives Ashlyn a new outlook on life.

Ethan is far too young, far too tattooed, far too pierced—just far too everything—to ever fit into her world. He has issues, too—major ones. Ashlyn knows he will never be accepted by her friends, let alone her overbearing father, but there is something about his live-in-the-moment outlook that keeps drawing her back into his arms.

Ashlyn must make a choice. Can she forgo the family dynasty and live life to the fullest with this fascinating but damaged young man?

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Shay Savage is an independent author from Cincinnati, Ohio, where she lives with her family and a variety of household pets. She is an accomplished public speaker and holds the rank of Distinguished Toastmaster from Toastmasters International. Her hobbies include off-roading in her big, yellow Jeep, science fiction in all forms, and soccer. Savage holds a degree in psychology, and she brings a lot of that knowledge into the characters within her stories.

From the author: “It’s my job to make you FEEL. That doesn’t always mean you’ll feel good, but I want my readers to be connected enough to my characters to care.”

Savage’s books many books span a wide variety of topics and sub-genres with deeply flawed characters. From cavemen to addicts to hitmen, you’ll find yourself falling for these seemingly irredeemable characters!

✸ ✸ ✸

They call him a monster.

Pale blue eyes as cold as ice that see right through you.

He’s hard.

He’s damaged.

He’s dangerous.

He lives in a castle fit for a fairy tale, but he’s no prince.

He’s savage.

He’s brutal.

He’s a killer.

By an act of fate, our worlds collide.

They call him a monster, but he is my salvation.

Review

Two unwanted children who become two lost and lonely adults

Two kindred souls who endured hellish situations and dealt with their circumstances in completely opposite ways.

A man who feels nothing…a woman who feels too much.

A man whose life choices continues the cycle of hate that began when he was born.

A woman who chooses to channel her pain and torment into hauntingly beautiful works of art, finding beauty in even the ugliest things.

A woman’s unknown family member who serves as the man’s conscience provides an opportunity for the man and woman to meet and find a way to be each other’s voice in the darkness, working to bring them into the light and awaken the man and woman beneath the broken and bent surface.

I can’t even begin to explain just how epic Brochan and Lizzie’s story is! Not only does L.A. Foire create two amazingly dynamic characters who continually change throughout the course of their story, but the setting itself, especially Scotland, serves as an important supporting character – one that allows both its majestic scenery as well as its darkened and dense terrain to serve as a healing agent and an obstacle to overcome.

The secondary title of L.A. Fiore’s latest release, ‘The Awakening of Lizzie Danton,’ allows readers to clearly understand which character will transform due to the events of the story, and while Lizzie most definitely changes because of the new opportunities she receives from a long-lost family member, her courage, passion, and perspective on life actually awakens Brochan’s suppressed emotions and allows him a way to stop the cyclical nature of his rage and an opportunity to find happiness amidst the ugly parts of his past and his present.

Savage is an epic love story…a dark and twisted fairy tale where the hero is perceived to be a damaged monster…an unfeeling killer…a dangerous supernatural being hellbent on destroying everyone and everything in his path, and while Brochan, in some ways, exhibits all of those attributes, there’s more to him than that and it’s Lizzie’s endless ability to find joy and happiness despite all that she’s endured that allows Brochan to see his current situation for what it is – an opportunity to fight against life’s ugliness and make a life in the light instead of in the darkness that has always seemed to shadow his life.

L.A. Fiore is a phenomenal storyteller – one who seems to understand the human heart and its many facets and delivers a story that readers can’t help but feel emotionally invested in because the characters, both main and supporting, as well as the content of the storyline itself are beyond captivating and meaningful, making each and every book Fiore crafts, must-read!

5 Poison Apples

L.A. Fiore is the author of several books including Beautifully Damaged, Collecting the Pieces and His Light in the Dark. Her favorite movie is Star Wars, a love her son shares. They hope to build their own Millennium Falcon one day. She would like to meet the Winchester Boys to thank them for enlightening her on the versatility of salt as not just a food enhancer, but as protection from supernatural threats. And she thinks it would be interesting to be a zombie, to get an idea of what life is like as a brain-addicted fiend so she can be their voice to tell their side of the story. She lives in Pennsylvania with her husband and kids, their two spoiled cats and their awesome dog.

Bodyguard, the highly anticipated new standalone from New York Times bestselling author CD Reiss is LIVE!

Bodyguard by CD Reiss

Release Date: November 14th, 2017

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Protecting a celebrity in Hollywood isn’t easy, but protecting Emily could break his heart.

As a world-class dancer at the height of her career, Emily enjoys all the perks of fame—the parties, the glamour, the tours—but they’ve also attracted the attention of a dangerous ex-boyfriend hell-bent on getting her back.

Enter Carter Kincaid, a bodyguard so crushingly sexy he takes her breath away.

Carter’s the best in the business, and Emily is—professionally speaking—off-limits. But when it comes to stirring his desires, she’s making all the right moves. What’s happening between them is so hot it could get both of them burned. As Emily’s past gets closer, Carter is willing to break every rule of the job to save her. But letting Emily into his life also means letting her in on the secrets of his own past. For these two, falling in love could be the greatest risk of all.

Read today!

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Review

Carter Kincaid is the ultimate protector, not only for his clients but also for the people who mean the most to him, and in order to do his job as a bodyguard as well as keep his personal priorities in order, control is what drives him…what allows him to maintain his hold on a structured and balanced life, but in some ways, it’s also what prevents Carter from fully living…from experiencing love beyond the familial bonds that force him to live a solitary life.

Emily Barrett can’t remember the last time she’s felt completely safe or desired in a way that wasn’t menacing or disturbing, and due to the rules in place to keep her unharmed by her crazy stalker ex-boyfriend, her life only consists of her work and a security system that tracks her every move, ensuring no harm comes to her but also giving her zero privacy.

But when Carter’s new assignment becomes the tiny dancer who strips him of his control and overrides his common sense, Carter and Emily’s regimented lives become a bit more chaotic and a lot more complicated.

‘Love was the one thing worth protecting.’

If there’s one thing that Carter and Emily fiercely protect, it’s those they love and would willingly lay down their lives for and as Carter struggles to keep his two worlds separate while still keeping Emily and Phin safe, he soon realizes that he can’t control every situation or circumstance, so when everything in his life threatens to implode, the sacrifices made may leave everyone unsafe and more vulnerable than ever before.

I have to admit that I wasn’t too sure about the second book in CD Reiss’ Hollywood A-List series; it started a bit slowly because there was a lot of set up that needed to take place in order to understand why and how the hero and heroine are in the positions they are in when their lives intersect. The main characters also didn’t seem to be A-Listers in the true sense of the term, which made it somewhat difficult to see their importance the guise of the Hollywood Elite. But as the story progressed and readers were provided the necessary insight into the hero and heroine’s connections and backstories, the text’s pace picked up and the plot’s objective became clear, providing clues about Carter’s mysterious personal life and his need to avoid certain entanglements.

I love the fact that C.D. Reiss crafts stories that do not follow the stereotypical mandates/characteristics of the romance genre. She’s not afraid to go outside the box and take risks when it comes to creating complex characters with unique and  twisted circumstances and the way she unveils necessary truths about her characters keep readers invested, hoping to understand the hows and whys of everything that goes down in the lives of her heroes and heroines.

I ended up really enjoying Carter and Emily’s story and one of the main reasons is a certain secondary character who stole my heart, and because he’s at the heart of everything that Carter does, I can’t help but want to protect him and keep him safe just as much as Carter works to do day in and day out, even willingly giving up certain aspects of his life so that this person has everything he wants and needs and definitely deserves.

4 Poison Apples

Excerpt

“Are we going to have another ‘about last night’ conversation?” I asked.

“If you want to.”

What did I want to say? Everything. but mostly, I wanted to tell him how much I liked kissing him and how conflicted I was. I wanted to demand answers immediately and give him space at the same time.

All the words tried to jump forward, but when he stopped at a light, our eyes met in the rearview. The words landed in a tangle, unsaid.

He tapped the steering wheel when he turned it, using both hands for the first time since I’d gotten in.

“Hey,” I said.

“Yeah?” He briefly looked at me in the mirror.

“What happened to your hand?”

“Burn.” he brushed his left hand over the bandage at the top of his palm, right where you’d burn it if you were picking up a hot pot handle. He caught my eye in the rearview again.

I didn’t know if I believed him.

“What were you cooking?”

“Breakfast.”

“And you still went to get a Danish?”

He rubbed his upper lip with his left hand and tapped the wheel with the bandaged one.

“I burned my eggs.”

Right. Hot pot. Burned hand. Smoke-filled kitchen.

“You know what’s funny?” I said.

“The Three Stooges.”

“I don’t know anything about you. You could live in your mother’s basement.”

“That’s just where I bury the bodies.”

Blatant avoidance. It had been cute before; now it was getting on my nerves.

“Are you married?”

“No!”

He could have been lying, buy lying liars always lied. There wasn’t a thing I could do about that except make sure I asked.

Something was wrong. We’d kissed twice, and twice he’d shut down. I should have been the one shutting down. I was the one with all the ex-boyfriend baggage. Why was I the one who was always so willing?

But there he was in the front seat, driving with both hands on the wheel, glancing at me once in a while to make sure I wasn’t choking on my tongue in the back seat. Discomfort radiated out of him.

Here I was with my hands in my lap thinking about ways to kiss him again.

He pulled into the little lot and wedged into a space. He turned off the car, popped his seat belt, and stared at the wheel for a split second too long. I was about to open the car door myself when he turned all the way around, arm over the back of his seat, bandaged hand on the back of the passenger side.

“Kissing you…” He stopped and looked at my lips so intensely I folded them back and bit them. “You’re dangerous. I can’t even see your lips, but I can taste them. I couldn’t brush the taste of you out of my mouth this morning. Right now. The honey. I can taste it but not enough. I want to kiss you again, and I can’t. I lose my shit around you. I can’t do it. My job is control. Do you understand what I’m saying?”

My jaw loosened, and I let my lips go.

“No, I don’t. I’ve met bodyguards before. You’re a stoic bunch, but you’re not all celibate. And if you think this is easy for me, you’re wrong. I’m afraid too. I’m afraid you’re going to get hurt because of me. last night…” I put my fingertips to my lips as if that would keep the choking sob from coming. I kept it back. “Last night he showed me he’s back, and if he’ll hurt me, he’ll hurt you.”

If I thought seats would be a barrier between us, I was wrong. He launched himself between them and placed his lips on mine. Our third kiss was unexpected, uncomfortable with him stretched between front and back. I wove my fingers in his hair, giving him my mouth, and taking his.

I wanted that kiss to tell him it was all right. He could lose control. He could bemore than a protector. He was as safe with me as I was with him. But I couldn’t without lying to both of us.

He yanked his lips away.

“Trust me.” He leaned his forehead against mine.

Start the Series of Standalones Today!

Bombshell

(Free in Kindle Unlimited)

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About the Author

CD Reiss is a New York Times bestseller. She still has to chop wood and carry water, which was buried in the fine print. Her lawyer is working it out with God but in the meantime, if you call and she doesn’t pick up she’s at the well hauling buckets.

Born in New York City, she moved to Hollywood, California to get her master’s degree in screenwriting from USC. In case you want to know, that went nowhere but it did give her a big enough ego to write novels.

She’s frequently referred to as the Shakespeare of Smut which is flattering but hasn’t ever gotten her out of chopping that cord of wood.

If you meet her in person, you should call her Christine.

Connect with CD Reiss

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Website: www.cdreiss.com
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You read that right, guys!!!

A new Finn and Carrie novella from Jen McLaughlin and the Out of Line world is hitting the virtual shelves TODAY, and you can read it for only 99 cents RIGHT NOW!

We all know that the holidays are right around the corner, and what better way to spend it than with some of your favorite characters?

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When we last saw Finn and Carrie in Blurred Lines, she was pregnant and they were happily married.

Time has passed, a baby was born…are they still happily married?

Time to find out in I’ll be Home for Christmas!

I’ll be Home for Christmas: an Out of Line novella

Nothing could make me leave my family alone for Christmas—except maybe my father-in-law. I swore to Carrie I’d make it home in time, and I’m keeping that promise. One way or another…

I’ll be home for Christmas.

Some promises can’t be kept, and sometimes things just don’t work out. Finn is my world, my life. But when my worst nightmares come true, I’m faced with the impossible truth. Without him…

I’m lost.

Get it TODAY for 99 cents–and happy holidays from Jen McLaughlin!

To celebrate, Jen is having a $10 Amazon or Barnes and Noble gift card giveaway!

Who couldn’t use some extra cash around the holidays, right? Enter below, and good luck! Don’t forget to buy I’ll be Home for Christmas today!

Giveaway

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Review

Jen McLaughlin’s newest release, I’ll Be Home For Christmas, a novella in her Out of Line series, provides readers with an update on the status of Finn and Carrie’s marriage, providing insight into how family life, a change of profession, and a solid support system are allowing them to move forward, stronger than ever, after enduring a multitude of hellacious situations that almost destroyed everything Finn and Carrie had worked so hard to rebuild numerous times.

After 11 years of marriage, the intensity of Finn and Carrie’s love and lust for one another is still evident, which will definitely warm readers’ hearts and solidify the idea that love just might be able to conquer all as long as the couple is willing to do whatever it takes to make things work. Finn and Carrie’s story illustrates just how powerful true love is and how there’s always a bit of light in the darkest of days.

This short revisit with Finn and Carrie also sets up the next book in the Out of Line series, introducing readers to the hero and providing a small glimpse into a love lost and what it might mean to him if he was ever to see her again. Thankfully, readers don’t have that long to wait because On the Line releases at the end of the month, and I’m sure Jen McLaughlin will provide us with a few insights into some of the other Out of Line series’ couples as well.

4 Poison Apples

Jen McLaughlin is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of sexy New Adult books. Under her pen name Diane Alberts, she is a multi-published, bestselling author of Contemporary Romance with Entangled Publishing. Her first release as Jen McLaughlin, Out of Line, released September 6 2013, and hit the New York Times, USA Today and Wall Street Journal lists. She was mentioned in Forbes alongside E. L. James as one of the breakout independent authors to dominate the bestselling lists. She is represented by Louise Fury at The Bent Agency.
Though she lives in the mountains, she really wishes she was surrounded by a hot, sunny beach with crystal-clear water. Though she lives in the mountains, she really wishes she was surrounded by a hot, sunny beach with crystal-clear water. She lives in Northeast Pennsylvania with her four kids, a husband, a schnauzer mutt, and a cat. Her goal is to write so many well-crafted romance books that even a non-romance reader will know her name.

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From New York Times bestselling author Laurelin Paige, comes a sexy novella in her Fixed Trilogy Series…DIRTY FILTHY FIX, a new novella brought to you by 1001 Dark Nights!

Grab your copy of this amazing novella today!

About DIRTY FILTHY FIX

I like sex. Kinky sex. The kinkier the better.

Every day, it’s all I think about as I serve coffee and hand out business agendas to men who have no idea I’m not the prim, proper girl they think I am.

With a day job as the secretary to one of New York’s most powerful men, Hudson Pierce, I have to keep my double life quiet. As long as I do, it’s not a problem.

Enter: Nathan Sinclair. Tall, dark and handsome doesn’t come close to describing how hot he is. And that’s with his clothes on. But after a dirty, filthy rendezvous, I accept that if we ever see each other again, he’ll walk right by my desk on his way to see my boss without recognizing me.

Only, that’s not what happens. Not the first time I see him after the party. Or the next time. Or the time after that. And as much as I try to stop it, my two worlds are crashing into each other, putting my job and my reputation at risk.

And all I can think about is Nathan Sinclair.

All I can think about is getting just one more dirty, filthy fix.

Grab your copy of DIRTY FILTHY FIX today!

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Review

Any chance I get to reenter Laurelin Paige’s Fixed world and catch up with my favorite couple, even if it’s only for brief cameos, makes my reading experience that much better and in Dirty Filthy Fix, readers are introduced to associates of Hudson Pierce and Donovan Kincaid, bringing two sinful and sexy settings together, and if Nathan Sinclair and Trish Bisceglia’s relationship is anything like the kinky fuckery that Hudson and Alayna and Donovan and Sabrina engage in, I’m more than happy to be a voyeur in their lives – one who gets a front row seat to every decadent and sensual minute they spend together, especially once Trish realizes that she can’t walk away from Nathan even if she breaks every one of her long established rules.

Trish Bisceglia is one hell of an administrative assistant who is every bit the consummate professional when she’s on the clock, ensuring that her boss and his clients are well taken care of every minute of every day Monday through Friday, but when Saturday night hits, Trish’s professionalism is tossed aside and all of that pent up frustration and energy is expelled in a rather unconventional but mind blowing way, giving her the sexual freedom to be the independent woman she is by watching and participating in all kinds of hot and kinky sex…the kind that gets her off and sets her flying because living her life on her own terms and giving the middle finger to anyone who doesn’t agree with or understand her choices keeps her on her chosen path, not the one society tries to dictate she follow.

It’s clear from the start just how enigmatic and addictive Nathan Sinclair can be, so it’s almost futile for Trish not to submit, at least in some ways, to Nate’s invasion of her life. He seems to know just how to play things with her, never getting upset over her hot/cold demeanor, holding on to his ability to manipulate Trish’s body in delicious ways, which then slowly puts him in the position to immerse himself in both her professional and her personal life more so than she’s ever allowed any other man to do.

Laurelin Paige does a fabulous job of showcasing the two sides of Trish’s personality and as Paige gives a voice to Trish’s feelings on love, sex, and romantic entanglements, readers can’t help but be jealous over the courage and independence that Trish seems to have in spades and long for the ability to take what you want, when you want it, regardless of any pre-established beliefs. The fact that Trish is so stubborn in her views, though, had me shaking my head a few times because it’s more than obvious that her attraction and need for Nate is unlike anything she’s experienced in the last decade, maybe even ever, but her unwillingness to delineate from her chosen path has the power to ruin what appears to be a necessity in her life now that she’s experienced all that Nathan Sinclair is. 

Dirty Filthy Fix is one hell of a ‘dirty, filthy fairytale’ and even though Trish is nothing like Cinderella or her step sisters, Trish definitely knows how to integrate wickedly delicious sexual play in her life and even if she chooses to believe that Nate Sinclair is too Prince Charming-esque for her taste, what she leaves behind for him to find is exactly what proves how right Nate is for her and how one or two nights of dirty, filthy play isn’t nearly enough to get her fix of him.

On a side note, I’ve never witnessed a hotter game of spin the bottle and while I doubt I would ever have the courage to be as open about sex and all of its kinky wonders as the characters in the story are, the way Paige describes that scene makes me want to participate but only in a voyeur capacity because holy man just reading about it made me wish for even a small amount of that kind of sexual freedom, especially if I had the chance to take a turn with Nate Sinclair;)

4.5 Poison Apples

Excerpt

“I’d like a try.” It was the stranger with the green eyes.

Hot damn.

Of course the night would ramp up right when I announced I was leaving. I looked up at him expectantly, but he didn’t approach. I realized he was waiting for my invitation. He was definitely new. Everyone else knew Miss T was one of the most ready and willing participants in the room—to the point where some tried to take advantage of it. I never needed to issue invitations, but I often needed to reinforce boundaries.

“What are you waiting for, then?” I sat up straighter, ignoring Chuck’s grunt of complaint.

The stranger came forward with slow, swaggering steps. When he reached me, he loosened his bowtie a little before lowering himself to one knee at my side. He placed his arm next to mine on the chair, his fingers barely grazing my skin. Goosebumps sprouted up my forearm all the way to my neck, and he hadn’t even bent in to whisper yet.

And then he did. His breath skated over the shell of my ear, and my heart tripped unexpectedly in my chest.

How long had it been since that had happened from just the feel of someone breathing against me?

“I’m going to kiss you one way or another tonight,” he said, low and with such surety a shiver ran down my spine. “It’s your decision whether it’s now or later.”

So. Not just a voyeur then.

He sat back to study my features. My jaw was slack, and I scanned his expression, searching for a hidden motivation. My body tingled from head to toe. I was used to men—strangers—wanting me. I was used to them approaching me. I was used to them telling me how much they desired me.

Why was this man so different?

Maybe it was because those other men always looked everywhere in the room. When their eyes landed on me, I knew I was just one of many options.

This man…

He’d looked around the room. I’d watched him throughout the night. But nothing had interested him. I could tell by the way he was still wearing his jacket, by the way his eyes were only now beginning to dilate as they stared into mine.

He’d studied the room and decided nothing here had interested him but me.

That was definitely not the kink that usually got me off. That was Cinderella-story kind of kink. The fairytale kink with a happy ending was traditional, but a kink all the same—being chased. Being placed on a gilded pedestal. I never wanted to be somebody’s Only One in the Room. I liked having my own space. I liked being able to disappear when I wanted. I liked not having chains or boundaries. I was turning thirty-five soon. I wasn’t a starry-eyed teenager anymore. I knew what I wanted from life and love and relationships and sex. And it wasn’t a pedestal.

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About Laurelin Paige

USA Today and New York Times Bestselling Author Laurelin Paige is a sucker for a good romance and gets giddy anytime there’s kissing, much to the embarrassment of her three daughters. Her husband doesn’t seem to complain, however. When she isn’t reading or writing sexy stories, she’s probably singing, watching Game of Thrones or The Walking Dead, or dreaming of Michael Fassbender. She is represented by Rebecca Friedman.

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Bad at Love by Karina Halle

Release Date: November 16th

Bad at Love, an all-new contemporary STANDALONE by New York Times Bestselling author Karina Halle is LIVE!!!

She’s bad at love, but he’s even worse…

Marina is hot, blonde, and wickedly smart, but when it comes to men? She’s hopeless. Between her quirks and her lack of filter, there isn’t a man in Los Angeles that will stick around after the third date.

Her handsome, charming friend Lazarus has the opposite problem. Everyone wants to be his girlfriend, but he gets bored and moves on quickly.

There’s only one way to figure out why neither of them has cracked this love thing– they’ll date each other. On paper, it’s the perfect experiment. But in reality, things between Marina and Laz get complicated quickly.

They might be bad at love, but they are even worse at being friends.

Read Today!

(Free in Kindle Unlimited)

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/2AOudtz

Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/2iWoTwd

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Review

Each time Karina Halle releases a new story, I’m always amazed by how diverse of an author she is…how easily it is for her to write quality contemporary romance, new adult romance, dark romance, and even paranormal romance. Halle’s versatility as a writer is one reason romance readers adore her books and willingly follow her when she switches between her darker tales that place readers in quite the alternative settings and those straight forward romances that speak to the hearts of readers and take them on one heck of an emotional and powerful journey.

Halle’s newest release, Bad at Love, is so much more than a typical friends-to-lovers’ story because even though there are traditional plot points in the text that illustrate that specific trope, there are also life’s teachings included in the story line – lessons about loss, abuse, prejudice, and self doubt. Laz and Marina, Halle’s poet and beekeeper, are extremely relatable characters because it’s easy to both sympathize as well as empathize with their dating histories as well as the their family backgrounds and the situations they have had to endure because of the choices of others.

I see so much of myself in Marina that it’s mind-boggling. She’s awkward and quirky, but she’s also passionate and driven. She doesn’t have much self confidence when it comes to the opposite sex because she’s a nervous nelly, always feeling like she’s going to ruin a relationship before one even gets started, setting herself up for defeat right out of the gate. But anyone who took the time to see beyond her bee keeping stories and her weird idiosyncrasies would see how phenomenal of a woman she truly is and anyone would be lucky to be loved and cherished by her. 

I’ll admit…it took me a bit to see past Laz’s view of himself as a serial monogamist…it’s true he never cheated, but as soon as he was done with one girl, he moved on to the next, never fully committing himself to any of them. I will say that the reasons behind his tendencies make sense once it’s explained, but it made me question his motives for ‘dating’ Marina and if he was capable of ‘real’ feelings. Don’t get me wrong, I loved Laz; he had his own quirks and oddities, which made him real instead of an unattainable hot shot, which will have readers swooning over his poetry, his singing, and his protectiveness. And, I even knew that he would figure his shit out and make things right, but I guess the way he went from one woman right after another turned me off at first.

Bad at Love definitely has all the feels that romance lovers adore; there are sweet and swoon worthy moments as well as hilarious and downright peculiar moments, but the moments that stand out are the ones that are real…the ones that show no pretense of being merely fictional circumstances because the reasons behind Laz’s unwillingness to truly love and commit to someone and Marina’s fear that she’ll never find her ‘flower,’ her person, are thoughts and actions that will resonate with readers because these characters could easily be one of us, struggling to make the right decisions when it comes to our heart and trying to understand why the kind of love that everyone else seems to find, is always just out of our reach or we don’t think we’re worthy of it due to a past that has never been addressed.

Karina Halle, once again, crafts a heartfelt story that readers can get lost in…the pacing of the story was perfect because Laz and Marina didn’t start anything until it was clear it was what they both wanted and the intimacy between them truly illustrated where their feelings were headed…or maybe where they’ve always been.

4.5 Poison Apples

Excerpt

The place is called Tanner Smiths and is one of those trendy bars with a prohibition theme. It’s packed and dark and there’s a small dancefloor by the door so that when you walk in, you’re sucked into a group of people grooving all up in your space. Beyonce blares from the female DJ in the corner and everyone is drunk and happy.

“I approve of the vibe,” I say to Laz.

“What?” he yells back mockingly over the noise, cupping his ear. Then he leans in, close. Very close. “What you havin’ to drink, sweet girl?”

His breath is hot on my ear and I momentarily close my eyes, letting the feeling sink along my skin, down my back, all the way to my toes. “Anything,” I manage to say.

I open my eyes and his face is still at my neck, lips at my ear. “I had no idea you were so easy to please,” he murmurs and I swear his lips are grazing my skin. Goosebumps spread and I’m hot and cold all at once.

My throat feels thick as I speak. “Only when it comes to drinks. Anything else, you might have to work at it.”

“Is that so?” he says, pulling back enough to look me in the eye.

There’s fire inside him. God, how I want to burn.

“We’ll have to see, won’t we?” I tell him.

His languid gaze drops to my lips, his nostrils flaring with impatience.

Fuck, do it, just fucking kiss me.

Kiss me.

Kiss me.

He leans all the way back, gives my hand another squeeze before letting go. “Don’t you dare go anywhere.”

“Bossy,” I comment, my stomach summersaulting like crazy.

“You have no idea,” he says. Then he winks, a bit of a smile, and heads down to the bar to place the order.

I watch him. I watch him and I watch the girls in the bar watching him and I know tonight, tonight he’s mine. I have him.

I’ve never felt so alive before, a swarm of electricity underneath my skin, my heart happy, happy, happy with anticipation, knowing what might finally happen between us.

Meet Karina

Karina Halle is a former travel writer and music journalist and The New York Times, Wall Street Journal and USA Today Bestselling author of The Pact, Love, in English, The Artists Trilogy, Dirty Angels and over 20 other wild and romantic reads. She lives on an island off the coast of British Columbia with her husband and her rescue pup, where she drinks a lot of wine, hikes a lot of trails and devours a lot of books.

Halle is represented by the Root Literary and is both self-published and published by Simon & Schuster and Hachette in North America and in the UK.

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Two-Man Advantage by Toni Aleo is NOW AVAILABLE!
“Sexy. Emotional. Funny. Aleo’s first MM is a spectacular debut into a new genre for her.” -NYT Bestselling Author, Melissa Collins

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Wells Lemiere knew the moment he saw Matty Haverbrooke, he had to have him. Matty was quiet, he was talented, he was beautiful, and Wells couldn’t stay away.

As the youngest and most talented son of the NHL Commissioner, Matty had found the burden of family expectations almost too heavy to carry on even his broad shoulders. He had no intention of getting involved in a relationship with Wells. But the heart he’d given up for dead had other ideas.

Their affair was intense and overwhelming, but when Matty couldn’t bring himself to come out and admit he wanted a public future with the man he loved, Wells had no choice but to honor his vow to live openly…and leave Matty behind.

But then he learns Wells is marrying another, and Matty knows he can’t let that happen. Can he throw down his gloves and embrace his future with both hands? Or will he pull the door to his closet shut once more?

Review

Two-Man Advantage was one of my most anticipated books for the month of November, and boy did Toni Aleo deliver one fantastic story! It’s hard to believe that Wells and Matty’s story was her first venture into the M/M genre because EVERY part of Wells and Matty’s relationship illustrates the love felt between these men, including the way they yearn for each other’s bodies and demonstrate their desire and affection in every intimate embrace, stolen glance, and dirty remark.

At the end of Wren and Jensen’s story, Wells’ sister and best friend, readers caught a glimpse of just how much Wells Lemiere and Matty Haverbrooke loved one another, but the circumstances that surrounded their reunion also illustrated why they were no longer together and what it had cost both men. At the start of Two-Man Advantage, Aleo gives readers Wells and Matty’s backstory and sets up the reasons for their long-term relationship dissolving what seems like overnight, but it also depicts just how deep their feelings still run, even after 9 months apart while also showing just how close they were to losing each other forever with Wells’ illogical attempt to move on with someone who doesn’t own him body and soul.

It’s definitely an uphill battle for Wells and Matty when they reunite and Wells gives Matty a second chance. The same issues still exist; namely, Matty’s inability to tell his family that he’s gay and come out as a man who has found the love of his life and is willing to show his commitment to Wells for everyone to see. There’s not a doubt in readers’ minds that Wells and Matty belong together, but what’s also clear is that Matty’s fear of not being accepted by his family, particularly his commissioner father, continues to haunt him and prevents him from going all in with Wells, which is the only way Wells chooses to live.

There’s so much love and devotion between these two men, even though Matty is more than 10 years younger than Wells. But that age gap definitely comes into play when it comes to caring what other people think about the choices that Wells and Matty make, and while Wells could care less how society views his homosexuality, it matters to Matty probably more than it should and it’s the reason that it might cost him the love of his life, yet again, if he can’t work through his issues and put his love/desire for Wells ahead of any fallout that may occur due to his sexual orientation.

“No one matters more than the person who knows everything about you and still loves you”

That’s the lesson that readers should take away from Wells and Matty’s story. Life is too short and too important to be in a constant state of fear and loneliness and what Matty built with Wells is worth every risk because Wells has done nothing but fight for their forever and now Matty needs to prove to Wells and to himself that being out…being his completely can never be wrong regardless of other people’s thoughts on the contrary.

I adored EVERYTHING about Two-Man Advantage. Toni Aleo does a great job of contrasting Wells and Matty’s families as well as the ways they have dealt/continue to deal with people’s perceptions of their sexual orientation. Wells is an incredibly strong character who has learned some hard lessons in life and has made decisions that broke his heart, but he did so because he refuses to go backwards when he has worked so hard to be proud of himself and who he is. I never doubted that Matty would come through for Wells; it may not have been on Wells’ timeframe or in the path that Wells would have chosen, but I didn’t fear Matty would let Wells down because the promise Matty made when they got back together was not made hastily.

The way that several characters from Toni Aleo’s other books play pivotal roles in Wells and Matty’s story was amazing and necessary. Wren, Jensen, and Vaughn are extremely important to Wells and their guidance as well as love keeps him going even when he wants to give up. And, I always wanted Avery to be able to make up with her twin brother and understand exactly why he did those reprehensible things to her and Aleo ties that story line together for me, which was everything I needed!

I can’t say enough about Two-Man Advantage. It gave me ALL THE FEELS and I was definitely swooning HARD for Wells Lemiere!

5 Poison Apples

About the Author

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From Wall Street Journal bestselling author Ilsa Madden-Mills comes a new standalone romance about a flawed hero and the woman he can’t forget.

Spider, a sexy and forbidden new standalone, is LIVE!

Title: Spider

Author: Ilsa Madden-Mills

Publication Date: November 13th, 2017

He calls himself Spider.

I just know him as the sinfully gorgeous guy with eyes of fire that fate places next to me on the airplane.

I didn’t who he really was . . . future rock star . . . my stepbrother.

He kissed me because he thought he’d never see me again. He would.

Everyone warned me about him.

They told me he was careless and ruthless and screwed up.

They said he’d leave me with a hole in my heart.

Maybe I should have listened.

Maybe I should have built a fortress to keep him out.

But I crumbled instead.

They say an unbreakable thread connects those who are destined to meet. If that’s true, then the moment he sat next to me, we were bound together forever.

He just had to figure it out before it’s too late…

(Free in Kindle Unlimited)

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Review

Like Jane Eyre and Edward Fairfax Rochester in the classic novel Jane Eyre, Rose and Spider in Ilsa Madden-Mills newest release have contrasting personalities as well as differing social backgrounds, which get in the way of their happily ever after…at least at the beginning and throughout the middle of their story.

But given that Spider is a contemporary romance, the darker sides of modern society also stand in Rose and Spider’s way because the path that Spider is on when fate brings them together is self-destructive and self-loathing because his need for drugs, booze, and sex to chase everything else away overpowers his connection and need for someone like Rose…someone who gets him on almost every level and understands how one’s past can control one’s present/future.

In a span of a decade, Ilsa Madden-Mills takes readers through the ups and downs of loving a man who doesn’t love himself and the push and pull between two people who seem to be kindred souls but can’t quite make it work because there always seems to be someone or something in the way of their happiness. Both Spider and Rose make choices that change their lives in significant ways, but while Rose’s path seems to be about finding happiness despite everything she’s been through, Spider’s choices revolve around making his mind numb and his heart void of any warmth because he can’t trust anyone to stay nor is he willing to suffocate the one girl who kind quite possibly free him from the darkness because he’s not ready to face his demons and he’s the only one who can battle them back and set himself free.

‘Every day is a second chance, son. All you have to do is take it.’

Spider can accept these words, but until he’s ready to deliver on that promise, it’s better if he stays away from Rose and the life she created without him. But Fate can be a tad bit fickle when it comes to bringing two people together who were meant to be one from the start, so while there were missed opportunities and heartbreak caused, it’s up to chance as well as free will to set things right again, but the only way that Spider can undo what he’s done is if he finds a way to let go of his past…let go of his destructive activities and prove, once and for all, that what was between him and Rose from the beginning is all he’s ever wanted regardless of his actions illustrating otherwise.

Ever since meeting Spider in Sebastian Tate’s book, I NEEDED his story…I wanted to understand the reasons behind his snark and the giant size chip he seemed to have on his shoulder, but what I craved more than anything was insight into his past…a clear view of what forced him to become the manwhore, drug addict he does and then what helps him to clean up his act and find a way to make things right with the people he hurt the most.

I’m not sure if I had a different idea in my head as to what I thought Spider’s story would be, but while I enjoyed reading it, I did feel like it was missing the backstory information that I needed to get a clear perception of both Spider and Rose. Things fast forward rather quickly in the storyline, which means that sometimes I didn’t have a clear view of everything that happened and what it meant for the main characters as well as those around them before I was moved forward and asked to understand situations that took place behind the scenes and without much of a discussion in the text itself.

I desperately wanted to see Spider and Rose together, but I also wanted to experience the things they did and the ways they grew while they were apart, especially the two years just before Spider goes after Rose to reclaim her once and for all. I wanted these two characters to be larger than life…to be as dynamic as possible because with everything they both have been through, they deserved to have as much happiness and love as they could handle, and while in the end, Fate reunites them and works its magic, making it right for both Spider and Rose to finally get their happily ever after when most of their life was anything but pleasant.

I adore the way that Ilsa Madden-Mills uses components of classic literary works and gives them a contemporary outlet to recreate some of the magic that occurred all those years ago. Jane and Rochester’s relationship and issues aptly fit all that Spider and Rose go through in this modern take on Jane Eyre and while I wanted a bit more character development and back story, Madden-Mills’ writing as well as her sexy broken alpha males never fail to entertain or endear, which is what I always want to experience when I sit down to read a story.

4 Poison Apples

Excerpt

How can one human man be so hot? Spider sits on my toilet, shirtless, while I dab at his swollen eye. I’m doing my best to keep my eyes averted from the ink on his body, the way his tattoos swirl underneath his jeans, the way his chest is carved from stone.

Of course, I’m the stupid person who suggested he remove his shirt so I could see if he has any bruising on his chest. A cracked or broken rib can cause a lot of pain, and I want to be thorough, that’s all—I swear to baby Jesus.

He grinned at my request and whipped it off—which is the reason I’m now a mess.

There’s hardly any room to breathe with him in my small bathroom.
I wipe at the spot of blood on his cheek as he watches me stoically, never taking his eyes off me, tracking my every movement.

“This will look worse tomorrow,” I murmur, just to ease the tension. I stand between his spread legs, acutely aware of his fresh scent, his pure magnetism. My hands shake and I have to focus to push an image of me straddling him, both of us naked, out of my head. I want to run my tongue over the tattoo on his neck. I want to bite him like an animal while he—

Good grief, Rose, stop the fantasy!

“You’d make a good nurse,” he says softly, his long black lashes fluttering softly against his chiseled cheekbones.

“Doctor of Psychology,” I correct him.

“Your dream?”

“Yes.” Although right now I’m dreaming of him…
“I know that feeling. That’s how music is to me.” His golden-brown eyes watch me as I reach over to the medicine cabinet for more antiseptic and antibacterial cream, my chest perilously close to his face. I swear my nipples are reaching for him.

“Why psychology?”

I nod, pretending like I’m not all discombobulated. “My granny mainly. She loved to read people—literally. She ran a little palm-reading business out of her home before she died. All the old ladies of the neighborhood would come to see her. She’d make them coffee and they’d just…talk. She’d tell them what they needed to hear while I sat on the floor next to her and listened. There wasn’t any magic involved of course.” I laugh. “But…she was incredibly intuitive. She just got people. If someone twitched or looked left or right while they were talking, she’d have a reason for it and she’d tell me all about it after they left.”

“I think I would have loved your granny.” He curls an arm around me, tugging me close until my chest is a hair’s breadth away from his face. I recall our epic kiss on the plane. I feel the pressure of his taut thighs and my breath quickens as desire unfurls inside me.

A hum warms my blood. I want him—desperately.

And it’s entirely foolish.

He’s my stepbrother.

He doesn’t call girls back.

“Why does it seem like I’ve known you forever?” I ask, feeling myself gravitating closer.

He thinks about it, pushing a piece of hair out of my eyes. Cupping my nape, he pulls me in tighter until our noses meet. The back of his hand caresses my cheek and the heat from his touch burns, yet there’s a tautness in the roped muscles of his arms, as if he’s holding himself in check.

“Because I am you,” he says softly. “We’re so much alike, it’s staggering.” He pauses and stares deep into my eyes.

I nod. I can’t think. He’s so close to me, his eyes burning into mine.
He closes his eyes and exhales. “I want you, Rose. You’re intoxicating.”

I suck in a sharp breath, our lips inches apart.

Is he going to kiss me? I want him to.

His eyes open after the silence has gone on too long, a smirk forming around his mouth. “You scared of me, Rose?”

Never.

“I’m scared you’ll rip my heart out.”

He stares at the LOST tattoo on his hand. “I probably will.”

About the Author

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Ilsa Madden-Mills writes about strong heroines and sexy alpha males that sometimes you just want to slap.

She’s addicted to dystopian books and all things fantasy, including unicorns and sword-wielding females. Other fascinations include frothy coffee beverages, dark chocolate, Instagram, Ian Somerhalder (seriously hot), astronomy (she’s a Gemini), and tattoos.

She has a degree in English and a Master’s in Education.

When she’s not pecking away on her computer, she shops for cool magnets and paints old furniture.

Connect with Ilsa

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authorilsamaddenmills/
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Website: http://www.ilsamaddenmills.com/

Title: Everest

Author: S.L. Scott

Genre: Contemporary Romance/Romantic Suspense

Release Date: December 7, 2017

Cover Design: Letitia Hasser

Goodreads: http://bit.ly/EverestGR

Synopsis 

Six foot three. Dynamic green eyes. Utterly irresistible.

Ethan Everest stole my breath the first time I saw him. He romanced me with skill, dazzled me with his charisma, and proceeded to steal my heart right after.

I might have fallen for his easy going smile the first time we met, but I fell for him the second time.

Honey-colored hair. Cherry-kissed lips. Captivatingly gorgeous.

Singer Davis was the first, and only, woman to ever intimidate me. She spoke to my heart with her wit, seduced me with her eyes, and became the only thing that made sense in a world that made none.

I let her slip through my fingers once. I won’t make that mistake twice.

Secrets broke us apart. Can a second chance bring us back together?

About S.L. Scott

Living in the capital of Texas with her family, Scott loves traveling and avocados, beaches, and cooking with her kids. She’s obsessed with epic romances and loves a good plot twist. Her favorite color is blue, but she likens it more toward the sky than the emotion. Her home is filled with the welcoming symbol of the pineapple and finds surfing a challenge though she likes to think she’s a pro.

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